Asfondilitis in Amorgos

I do not know if Asfondilitis really can be termed as a sight, but I do it anyway, because this is a place that only hikers are visiting, even though it is possible to drive almost all the way. If you like uninhabited villages, Asfontilitis is a must, and if you're into petroglyphs, you'll love Asfontilitis.

Asfondilitis lies in the mountains midway between the monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa and Aegiali. If you hike that trail, you will pass here whether you want to or not. The hike from the monastery to Asfontilitis takes about two hours. If you go here by car or scooter, there is a road uphill just above Agios Pavlos, before Aegiali.

The shortest hike to Asfontilitis starts at Panagia Hozoviotissa.

Asfondilitis is one of three ancient cities, or villages, of Amorgos, the other two are Minoa above Katapola and Ancient Arkesini below Vroutsi. Almost nothing remains of the old village of Asfondilitis. The village was inhabited until the early 1950s when several residents moved to other villages on Amorgos. After an earthquake in 1956, the last villagers moved and the village was left to its fate. Asfondilitis is reminiscent in many ways of the uninhabited village of Gera on Tilos.

Read about the uninhabited village of Gera on Tilos here »

Some of the nine wells in Asfondilitis are still used today.

One of the few preserved houses in the uninhabited village of Asfontilitis.

So why should you go here you might ask? I'll tell you. Partly because the view overlooking the sea and Amorgos' dramatic coastline are crazy beautiful, partly because it is rarely any other people here so you get a feeling of being at the end of the world, partly because there are rock carvings on many stones, partly because just before Asfontilitis there is a taverna called Taverna To Steki tou Machera where you can sit and philosophize.

Some of the petroglyphs in Asfontilitis.

As for the rock carvings, they are not from the Bronze Age, as the petroglyphs in Sweden are. So the word petroglyphs is actually wrong, rock paintings or rock carving is probably better word. But the story behind it is both interesting and sad.

There are between 100 and 200 rock paintings in Asfondilitis.

The petroglyphs were created by a boy (later grown man) named Michalis Roussos. He and his family lived in Asfontilitis at the end of the 19th century. Michalis was paralyzed since adolescence and could not walk on his own. He liked to carve drawings, names, words and dates on the rocks of Asfontilitis. Since he could not walk, his family, and other villagers, carried him to a rock or cliff where he could sit and do his "petroglyphs".

Michalis Roussos liked mostly female motifs.

Judging by the years inscribed on the rock paintings, they were made within a period of approximately 60 years. Michalis Roussos probably began his artistic career a few years before 1900 and ended permanently in 1943. Today between 100 and 200 petroglyphs remain.

Feel free to have lunch at Taverna To Steki tou Machera, which is located above Asfontilitis.

Taverna To Steki tou Machera is one of the smallest tavernas I have seen in Greece.

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