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Modern Description: The ancient site of *Drákanon at the eastern extremity of the island is doubly impressive, both for its dramatic situation, and for the magnificent state of preservation of its Hellenistic tower, incorporated here into an enceinte of walls. The city guarded the Samos–Foúrni channel to the east, with Mount Kerketéus rising directly from sea to clouds in front of it; it also watched the main sea routes from Ephesus and upper Asia Minor to the Cyclades and western Aegean. It is known from inscriptions that the city of Drakanon was particularly associated with the cult of Dionysos—an important divinity on an island celebrated for its production of a prized wine.
The magnificently preserved 4th century BC *tower stands to nearly 30 courses of stone in height, and has no equals of its kind outside the towers at Aghios Petros on Andros and at Heimaros on Naxos. It would have survived in yet better condition had it not been used for naval target practice in the 19th century. Its blocks are of a visibly finer and more compact quality of marble than is found in the fortification walls of this site, and their faint bluish tinge would suggest that this might be marble brought from the Petrokopió quarry on Foúrni.
The tower is constructed in exactly parallel courses, but with varying length and shape of block: each block is a perfect piece of craftsmanship, with concave rustication, drafted edges, and precisely dressed sides for snug fitting. The tower is entered by a beautifully arched doorway which faces due east. The interior is spacious, with a diameter of c. 6.5m. The fixing holes for two wooden floors can be seen clearly. What is particularly interesting in the case of this tower is its integration into the system of fortifications; it is situated at the narrow corner of a triangle of walls, the bases of whose bastions to north and south are also clearly visible. The south bastion is particularly well preserved with its internal entrance doorway still intact. Excavations are currently under way which are making the layout of the settlement clearer: they have also revealed to the east of the tower the foundations of several buildings, their thresholds visible as well as the bases of votive statues. A further excavation to the south, just within the walls, is bringing to light a hearth or altar base of the early Classical period, beside a small embrasure in the walls just south-east of the south bastion. A significant quantity of everyday objects, such as lamps and figurines, have been unearthed in the excavations.
A path leads down the hill to the east, through an area with a ground-cover of marble fragments and evidence of collapsed buildings, to the small chapel of Aghios Giorgios, where a fluted antique altar has been incorporated into the interior wall of the apse. Further below are two natural, narrow harbours formed by projections of rock, whose sides show evidence of ancient port installations.
Wikidata ID: Q17629502
Trismegistos Geo: 54118

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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