It is blessed as the birthplace of the goddess Artemis (the moon) and her brother Apollo (the sun). Here their mother Leto found sanctuary, and she may have been the mythological first of many who have found on this tiny barren island refuge.

In addition to being a major cult center, Delos was the meeting place for the Athenian controlled Delian League (an association of Greek states against future Persian threat), and from 478-454 kept the treasury of the league.

Trade flourished here for hundreds and thousands of years. Today, although the sacred island is not inhabited, it remains a point of destination for a multitude of pilgrims.

Delos is the heart and hub of the Cyclades. Athens became great on the tribute paid to Delos. Without Delos, the Golden Age of Greece would never have been.

The earth, we begin to remember, is also a living body with a soul, and it is at sacred sites like Delos, the hub of the Cyclades, that her energies gather. Strung along ley lines, the earth's energy meridians ­ Delos is linked to Palestine in the east and Stonehenge in the west ­ these places of pilgrimage are magnets and transformers: those who are drawn to them find mystical experiences, life-changing insights, portentous dreams. 'Delos' means 'the revealed' (it's the root in 'psychedelic'), and the island's ground is 'permeated with dreams'.

[Annie Gottlieb, Voyage to Paradise: a visual odyssey, (paintings by) Thomas McKnight, HarperCollins, San Francisco, 1993]

• Click on the image above to visit the Museion on Delos and enjoy the arts of the ancient Mediterranean world.
• Visit Delian Dreams, for roleplay and historical discussion on the island of Delos.

-Submitted by Reylari Socrates