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What is an island? Concepts, meanings and polysemies of insular topoi in Greek sources

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2017

Katerina Kopaka
Katerina Kopaka*
Affiliation:
University of Crete, Rethymno, Greece
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Abstract

This article proposes an alternative way to explore a series of definitions, concepts, meanings and, sometimes, polysemies of island worlds, by using mainly ancient Greek literary sources, diachronic island names, and their etymologies, epithets, and other systems of labelling and describing them. It argues that such evidence literally and metaphorically involves mirrors and maps, and transcribes important parameters of an eloquent cognitive geography, forged from long-established knowledge and empirical wisdom, and relevant to modern scientific insights, including archaeological ones. If systematically investigated and thoroughly deciphered, this may disclose numerous meaningful elements of the insular topoi we study; and thus enrich significantly our efforts to conceive them as ‘total’ natural and cultural geographies – or ‘insularities’ – through time. Here, a limited number of cited examples illustrate a few, and mainly physical, aspects of their morphological, geological, topographic and other environmental traits – only tentatively touching upon their human-made landscapes. All the same, the information this provides may be also relevant, even if indirectly, to the islands' cultural environments. Furthermore, this approach can certainly be expanded to cover various other general and specific insular properties – including their inhabitants and diachronic monuments.

Cet article suggère une exploration alternative des mondes insulaires, à travers la lecture systématique des anciens témoignages littéraires grecs, et l'étude systématique d'une terminologie plus diachronique qui les concerne – et porte, par exemple, sur les noms des îles, et leurs etymologies, les adjectifs employés pour les désigner et sur d'autres données analogues. Tous fondés sur un très long savoir humain, ces renseignements ont de la valeur scientifique – aussi bien pour l'enquête archéologique. Une fois attentivement compilés et analysés, ils nous transmettent de nombreuses «concepts, significations et polysémies» concernant les îles; et sont susceptibles de contribuer de façon décisive à nos efforts pour les concevoir en tant qu'entités géographiques naturelles et culturelles ‘totales’ – voire des ‘insularités’ – dans le temps. Un nombre restreint d'exemples cités dans ce texte concernent, dans l'état actuel de la recherche, seulement quelques traits physiques – morphologiques, géologiques, topographiques, environnementaux – des milieux insulaires, ne touchant que très brièvement à leurs paysages humains. Les exemples peuvent être multipliés, cependant, et couvrir d'autres domaines et révéler des caractéristiques variées, générales et spécifiques des îles, concernant leurs habitants, leurs monuments et leurs cultures.

Zusammenfassung

Zusammenfassung

Dieser Artikel vertritt einen alternativen Weg der Untersuchung einer Reihe von Definitionen, Konzepten, Bedeutungen und manchmal auch Polysemien von Inselwelten anhand zumeist altgriechischer Literaturquellen, diachroner Inselnamen und ihrer Etymologien, Epitheta und anderer Systeme ihrer Benennungen und Beschreibungen. Es wird angeführt, dass solche Quellen auf wortgenaue wie auch metaphorische Weise bedeutende Parameter einer eloquenten kognitiven Geographie einbeziehen, widerspiegeln, abbilden und übersetzen, die aus einem über einen langen Zeitraum erzielten Wissen und empirischer Erkenntnis schöpften und auch noch heute für die moderne Wissenschaft – einschließlich der Archäologie – relevant sind. Systematisch untersucht und sorgfältig entziffert, kann dies zahlreiche bedeutende Elemente unserer insulären Topoi enthüllen und damit maßgeblich unsere Bemühungen bereichern, sie als „totale” natürliche und kulturelle Geographien – oder „Insularitäten” – im Laufe der Zeit zu verstehen. Hier illustriert eine begrenzte Anzahl zitierter Beispiele einige, vor allem physische Aspekte ihrer morphologischen, geologischen, topographischen und Umweltmerkmale, wobei allerdings nur ansatzweise ihre anthropogen gestalteten Landschaften thematisiert werden. Gleichwohl können, auch wenn dies indirekt geschieht, die gewonnenen Informationen zudem für die kulturellen Umfelder der Inseln relevant sein. Weiterhin kann dieser Ansatz mit Sicherheit auf verschiedene andere generelle und spezifische insuläre Territorien nebst ihrer Bewohner und diachronen Monumente angewendet werden.

Keywords

Aegeanalternative archaeological readings on islandsGreek sourcesislandsisland namesproperties and economic landscapesÉgée, îleslectures archéologiques alternatives des îlesnomsproptiétés et paysages économiques des îlessources grecquesÄgäisalternative archäologische Deutungen von Inselngriechische SchriftquellenInselnInselnamenTerritorien und ökonomische Landschaften
Type
Articles
Information
European Journal of Archaeology , Volume 11 , Issue 2-3 , 2008 , pp. 179 - 197
Copyright
Copyright © 2008 Sage Publications 

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