Giresun Island
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Giresun (Turkish: Giresun Adası) is a small island in the southeastern part of Black Sea. It is located in the east of Giresun city center in the Giresun Province of Turkey. It is the biggest and the only island on the Turkish shores of Black Sea that is suitable as a residential land. It is 1.2 mile away from the main land. In the island there is a ruin of a roofless stone temple, a castle and two big wine deposits.
Its ancient names are Aretias, Ares, Areos Nesos and Puga. It holds a very large black coloured stone called Hamza Taşı ("Hamza Stone"), a large spherical rock that is said to have magical properties. It is a big probability that a roofless temple built many centuries ago by the Amazons was used a place for Goddess worship, ceremonies and dancing.
[edit] Geography
It has 40000 m2 land area. However, the dominant plants of the island are laurels (Laurus nobilis) and black locusts (Robinia pseudoacacia), it was reported that the island has 71 wild and introduced species of trees and herbs. It is also a wild habitat for cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae sp.) and seagulls (Laridae sp.). Since a long time it has been preserved as a Class II historical and natural site by the Turkish Government. Thus it is not allowed to use as a residental area. Touristic visits to the island is possible on small and medium sized fishing and cruise boats which can be provided by tourism agencies in Giresun.
[edit] Myths about the island
There are many myths about the island. Firstly it is believed that the temple on it has been built and used by Amazons, the warrior women in ancient times. So it was also called as Amazon Adası ("Amazon Island" or "Island of the Amazons"). Another mythological tale is about Athamus, the king of Thessaly in ancient Greek times. He had two sons from his wife Nephele. Once upon a time a serious food shortage happened in his kingdom, and the king was adviced to kill his two sons for a remedy to stop hungar problem. But Nephele hears this intention and hides her sons by wrapping with a gold fur, and sends them to Caucasia. In following years a navy troop commanding by Hercules arrives in the island to capture the gold fur. But the dragon birds, kicked out from Greece by Hercules start to fight against Hercules's soldiers when they arrived in the island. Argonauts kills the birds and contiunes to their cruise to Caucasia in order to find the gold fur.
