Levitha

Template: Infobox Island / Maintenance / image missing

Levitha (Greek Λέβιθα (n. pl. ) ) Is an uninhabited Greek island of Leros municipality in the South Aegean region.

Geography

Levitha belongs to a group of six small islands and several islets lying between Kalymnos and Leros Dodekanesinseln the east and the Cycladic island of Amorgos in the West. To the south lies Astypalia. Besides Levitha this island group consists of the two Mavra Islands, Glaros, Kinaros and Plaka.

The island has an area of ​​9.121 km ² and reaches in the center with the Vardia ( Βάρδια, watch ' ) has a height of 130 meters. On Akra Spano, the easternmost point of the island is a lighthouse. The island's coastline is very rugged, on the south side there are two large bays, which provide protection from northerly winds as natural anchorages and are therefore popular with sailors. Near the eastern bay is the small settlement. The typical plants of the maquis and Phrygana dominate the landscape.

History

In ancient times the island was under the name Levi Thos ( Λέβινθος ), the pre-Greek origin is known.

Old buildings were detected, which were apparently related to the development of a small fishing village. During the Roman period Levitha served as a place of exile due to its remote location.

Levi Thos is identical mentioned by the Roman poet Ovid in two of his works: In the Ars Amatoria (II, 81) and in the Metamorphoses (VIII, 222), in connection with the legend of Daedalus and Icarus. During the escape from Crete Father and son fly over a series of islands, among them Levi Thos is called: " ... the right hand was Levi Thos ... " ("... dextra Lebinthos erat ..."). One may assume that Ovid, a "dictionary" or a geographical map used in a library Rome in the selection of Aegean islands that mark the escape route of the two " first flyer of mankind" and removed these rare name as " poeta doctus " from has.

Levi Thos is also mentioned in Strabo, Geography ( 10.5.12 )

Levitha today

Lived on the island at the beginning of the 21st century, a family who tried to pattern their lives on environmental behavior and to connect the traditional food and farming methods with the use of renewable energies. For self-sufficiency they farmed and kept a few goats, a photovoltaic system which powers. The income from a tavern and the rental income less room served the ENHANCE.

Conservation

Levitha is part of the Natura 2000 site GR 4220012 Nordamorgos, Kinaros, Levitha, Mavria and Glaros ( Βόρεια Αμοργός και Κύναρο, Λέβιθα, Μαυριά και Γλάρος ), as there are occurrences of monk seals, Caspian terrapins and four strips snakes, and at the same time as part of the Important Bird Areas GR 163 Kinaros and Levitha Islands and rocky Islets ( Κίναρος, Λέβιθα και βραχονησίδες ) classified as the islands of Eleonora's falcon and Audouin's gulls are visited as nesting sites.