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Modern Description: At the southern extremity of the village, near the church of Aghios Demetrios, is one of the island's best preserved ancient towers, known as the Mavros Pyrgos, or ‘Black Tower' because of the dark, moss-green schist used for its construction, which occurs naturally in an outcrop to the tower's east side. The tower is large in diameter (c. 11 m) and stands to a height of nearly six metres, with sixteen surviving parallel courses of constantly varying width, as well as areas of interlocking-polygonal masonry. There are a number of refinements here: a protruding base (first two courses); beveled joints in the first seven courses, changing to flush joints above; an arched entrance (now half-filled with earth, and missing the key-stone) with striking chamfered borders to the arch and a decorative groove which echoes its curve. The overall impression is not of Hellenistic masonry, but of earlier work – perhaps of the mid-5th century BC.

Info: McGilchrist's Greek Islands

(From McGilchrist’s Greek Islands, © Nigel McGilchrist 2010, excerpted with his gracious permission. Click for the books)

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