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Delos also called the little sister of Mykonos has an archeological and historical significance due to the fact that the Greeks considered it a sacred land: Delos was for a thousand years, the political and religious center of the Aegean. The archaeological site covers almost the entire island, starting on the west side, where the sacred harbour was. From the harbour, a majestic sacred way led to the Sanctuary of Apollo, where there were temples, altars, votive offerings and other buildings. To the east of the island there is the Sanctuary of the bulls an oblong building, and to the north are the Treasuries and the long, narrow Stoa of Antigonns. In the northwest corner is the much smaller Sanctuary of Artemis, with an Ionic temple to the goddess, and the Tomb of the Two Hyperborean Maidens.
Still further north is the region of the sacred lake, with the Terrace of the Lions, the Letoon, the Agora of the Italians and the Institution of the Poseidoniasts of Berytos. Between 11th and 7th centuries BC, Ionians inhabited the island and they developed it into a powerful trade and spiritual centre. During 4th century BC an interesting process took place -the Athenians did "purification" of the island - they banned all the burials, and all the births on the island. The dead were buried on the neighbouring island of Rhenia, which was transformed into a necropolis. The legend around the island is that Leto, Zeus' lover was banned from all land when Zeus' legitimate wife found out Leto's pregnancy. That's why Poseidon, the God of water, revealed a small bit of land, that had been covered in water, so that she can go there and give birth to Zeus'child. Delos means "revealed".
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