The origins of Elafonissos date back to the ancient times, when the worshipping of Artemis and the other Olympian gods was in all its glory, and the island hosted a great temple of Artemis.
Artemis was the goddess of haunting and this was an activity highly practised those times. In fact, Elafonissos counted on a vast population of red deer.
This is how the island took its name, as Elafonissos means "the island with the deer" in Greek. |
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The Channel of Elafonissos was then used for the passage of vessels in the Eastern Mediterranean. Today, it is still in use with hundreds of ships crossing it every day.
Regarding the inhabitation of Elafonissos, there are findings dating from the First-Hellenic period, uncovered on Lefki, Pavlopetri, Foudianika, Vigla, Kournospila and Kato Nisi, to testify that the island was inhabited 5000 years ago.
However, no such further |
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This fact was the reason of a diplomatic conflict from between the Greek Government and Great Britain, who until then had the Ionian State under their control (1814-1864).
Over the years, the new residents managed to do well on Elafonissos. The suppression of piracy by the Hellenic Navy made things easier. The residents would occupy mostly with agriculture and fishing. In fact, even today Elafonissos has the |
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