+ Cycladia Travel Guides | History



Kea Island Name
Kea or Tzia used to be known as the Water Island or else Hydroussa in the elder days due to the many springs and natural fountains that were found all over the island since then. The island eventually became known as Tzia while under the Turkish domination. The name Kea derives from the hero Keo, the first settler of the island around 1100 B.C. who was the leader of Lokroi, inhabitants of Nafpaktos that had concurred the island during ancient times. Both names, Kea & Tzia, are nowadays used to address the island.
Kea inhabitants
According to the excavations at Kefala, the island of Tzia has been inhabited since the Neolithic era. Some of the island’s inhabitants were the Arcades, Ions, Pelasgus, Kares and Phoenicians.
Kea Domination
Since the establishment of the Byzantine empire Tzia was included in the province of Greece and was dominated by the Venetian empire and later on by the Turks until it was finally liberated and became a part of the Greek state.

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