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An Archaeological Survey at the Epano Kastro of Andros : Some Considerations

Articles

• Δεληγιάννη - Δωρή, Ελένη
• ΔΕΛΗΓΙΑΝΝΗ-ΔΩΡΗ, Ελένη

There are three Medieval castles on the island of Andros: the Kato Kastro on the islet of Chora (capital of Andros), the Kastro of Makrotandalos on the west coast in the northern part of the island, and the Epano Kastro, overlooking the Bay of Korthion, south of Chora. The excavations conducted at Kato Kastro, published in 2003 (H. Dori, P. Velissariou, M. Michailidis, Kato Kastro, with a historical introduction by D. Polemis, Andros 2003, 211-219, Summary), revealed the Venetian construction of the castle and dated its founding to the early thirteenth century, when the Venetians conquered Andros, thus corroborating the historically documented view of historians D. Paschalis and D. Polemis. The Kastro of Makrotandalos, the walls and tower of which are of very similar construction to the Kato Kastro, dates from the same period. The construction date of the Epano Kastro has yet to be confirmed. κονίαμα, όπως στο Κάτω Κάστρο και στο Κάστρο του Μακροτάνταλου -και τα δύο ενετικά κτίσματα του 13ου αιώνα- πρέπει να συνδέονται με αυτούς. Οι ίδιοι οι Τούρκοι δεν πρέπει να χρησιμοποίησαν ποτέ το Κάστρο. Την εποχή όμως της κυριαρχίας τους στο νησί οι Ανδριώτες θα πρέπει να αναζήτησαν ασφάλεια με την εγκατάσταση τους στο έρημο πια, εγκαταλελειμμένο από τους Ενετούς, Επάνω Κάστρο, στην προσπάθεια τους να σωθούν από τις πειρατικές επιδρομές που απειλούσαν τα παράλια στα χρόνια της Τουρκοκρατίας. Με την εγκατάσταση αυτή θα πρέπει να συνδέονται τα ερειπωμένα σπίτια και ο ναΐσκος, κτισμένα με πέτρα και λάσπη, όπως και επεμβάσεις στον οχυρωματικό περίβολο με την ίδια τοιχοποιία. Όταν οι συνθήκες άλλαξαν στους νεότερους χρόνους, οι κάτοικοι του Κάστρου το εγκατέλειψαν, για να εγκατασταθούν λίγο χαμηλότερα, στο σημερινό χωριό Κοχύλου, ένα από τα γραφικά παλιά ορεινά χωριά της Άνδρου. Historians who date the Epano Kastro to Venetian times (post-1207) suggest that it might have been constructed originally by the Byzantines and continued by the Venetians after their conquest of the island. The Epano Kastro stands on a small plateau about 450 m. long and 560 m. a.s.l. It is surrounded by walls, mostly damaged (Fig. 1), with two big towers still in existence (Fig. 2). Located intra muros (Fig. 3) are the church of the Virgin Phaneromeni - hence the alternative name of the castle as the Phaneromeni Kastro - which is still in use, the ruins of a small church (Fig. 5) two large oblong cisterns (Fig. 4) and the donjon, which is in the east part, separated from the rest of the castle by a triangular fortification, as well as many ruined houses. Three types of masonry are observed in the Epano Kastro: a) a large part of the defensive walls, the two big towers, the cisterns, the triangular fortification and one wall of a ruined building are all built of rubble of local stone and mortar; b) the remains of houses, some parts of the defensive walls and the small church (Fig. 5) are built of rubble of local stone and mud; c) simple constructions among the house remnants are built of rubble of local stone without mud or mortar. Given that the first type of masonry (a) is similar to that of the Kato Kastro and the Kastro of Makrotandalos, the constructions featuring it in the Epano Kastro can be dated to the first half of the thirteenth century, during the period of the Venetian Occupation of Andros (1207-1566); the house walls of the second type (b) must date from a second phase of construction, probably in Post-Byzantine times; the third type of masonry (c) should be associated with pens for sheep and goats. Although survey of the site began only recently, some views on the history of the castle can be formulated. As no Middle Byzantine sherds have been found so far and the masonry of the fortifications, towers and cisterns closely resembles that of the other two Venetian castles on Andros, it is possible that the Epano Kastro was also built by the Venetians in the first half of the thirteenth century. The Venetians started to abandon the castle from 1537, in the framework of their withdrawal from Andros. Concurrently, local people settled within its walls and built their houses and church, as they sought refuge from the danger of pirate attacks during the Turkish occupation.

• History and Archaeology
• Arts

• Αρχαιολογία

856: https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/deltion/article/view/4296, DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/dchae.505

• http://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/deltion/article/view/vol45_45
• http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/dchae.505