Naxos 2 May Kouroi

David joined Sue, Nigel and Jan (a male leader) on the hard walk while I stayed back to rest my ankle and try to get smarter about doing this blog.  Anne had also opted out and we strolled down town for a few hours in the middle of the day.  It was leisurely and my sandals caused no discomfort.

Meanwhile, David was enjoying an interesting though somewhat difficult walk through colourful countryside – wildflowers, trees, olive groves and vineyards starting to sprout after the winter. The latter part was downhill along a creek, plenty of small trees and scratchy wire netting plant.

Jan on left; others are doing the easy walk.  Note the typically hazy morning sky.

12th century Venetian fort; below left, chapel 

Marble quarry distant left

Downhill to a creek and statues

 The hills beside us have been a major source of white marble since about 3000BC. Towards the end of the day we reached the site of an unfinished statue dating to around 700BC. The quarried marble was worked to an approximation of the desired shape then manhandled down to the workshops. The blocks that broke were abandoned.

  

Two figures of Kouroi or handsome young men over 6 metres long lie in the fields where ancient craftsmen deserted them. The one in the picture lost his lower legs. Naxos has a justifiably famous reputation for marble which is still quarried to this day.

We ended the day at a taverna (as usual) in Melanes.