Pictures of The Kea Island Greece

Kea (Greek: Κέα), also known as Gia or Tzia, Zea, and, in Antiquity, Keos (Greek: Κέως, Latin: Ceos), is an island of the Cyclades archipelago, in the Aegean Sea, in Greece. Kea is part of the Kea-Kythnos peripheral unit. Its capital, Ioulis, is inland at a high altitude (like most ancient Cycladic settlements, for the fear of pirates) and is considered quite picturesque. Other major villages of Kea are Korissia (the port) and Vourkari (a fishing village). After suffering depopulation for many decades, Kea has been recently rediscovered by Athens as a convenient destination for weekends and yachting trips.

BUY STOCK PICTURES & PRINTS OF KEA ISLAND - Images by Paul Williams

Kea is the location of a Bronze Age settlement at the site now called Ayia Irini, which reached its height in the Late Minoan and Early Mycenaean eras (1600-1400 BCE).

In the classical period Kea (Ceos) was the home of Simonides and of his nephew Bacchylides, both ancient Greek lyric poets, and the Sophist Prodicus, and the physician Erasistratus. The inhabitants were known for offering sacrifices to the Dog Star Sirius and Zeus to bring cooling breezes while awaiting for the reappearance of Sirius in summer; if the star rose clear, it would portend good fortune; if it was misty or faint then it foretold (or emanated) pestilence. Coins retrieved from the island from the 3rd century BC feature dogs or stars with emanating rays, highlighting Sirius' importance.

During the Byzantine period many churches were built and the prosperity of the island rose. Kea was Byzantine until, in 1204, it was captured by the Venetians in the wake of the fourth crusade. It was recaptured by the Byzantines under Licario in 1278. In 1296 it fell to the Venetians again, who soon built a castle on the ancient acropolis of Ioulis.
Kea was taken from the Venetians by the Ottoman Turks in 1527. It joined Greece following the Greek War of Independence in 1821, along with the rest of the Cyclades.

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About Paul Williams Funky Stock Pictures Library

Funky Stock Pictures library specialises in food pictures & Images as well as European Travel photography. We have specialist collections of photos of UNESCO World Heritage Site, Images of Greek Archeological sites & Pictures of Roman Archeological sites & Museum exhibits. All photographs on this site have been taken by Paul Williams.

There are few other working food and still life photographers in the world with the experience of Paul Williams. Over the last 30 years Paul has worked on major food advertising campaigns for the UK and Europe as well as taking food pictures for packaging photography projects for nearly every major food brand in the UK.

Paul has taken pictures , photos & images for DNAD & Clio award winning campaigns. He was awarded a silver in the Polaroid European Photographer awards and won a silver Rose of Montreux for his Coca Cola TV Commercials. Paul was also awarded the coveted Glenfiddich cookery book award.

For the last 4 years Paul has also concentrated on taking location pictures & landscape photography making trips to photograph many parts of Europe. Every year over 5000 new travel pictures and food photos are added to the library.

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