At the end of January 2025, the Friends of Paros and Antiparos book series will release a new volume: The Cyclades in the Early Middle Ages.
Written by Demétrios Athanassoulis, a distinguished archaeologist and head of the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades at the Greek Ministry of Culture, the book explores the rise of the Cyclades during the Early Middle Ages, a crucial period of transition between the end of the ancient world and the beginning of the medieval era.
Richly illustrated, the book describes how the Byzantine Empire strengthened the Cycladic islands through a dense network of fortresses, ports, and churches, creating a defensive and cultural landscape that helped the region withstand Arab invasions. It offers especially valuable insights into Naxos and Paros, which served as the political, economic, and military centres of the Cyclades. The construction of churches, and later monasteries, also played a major role in reinforcing Hellenic and Christian identity, helping the islands resist external threats.
About the Book Series
The Friends of Paros and Antiparos collection was launched in 2022 under the aegis of the association as an extension of its cultural activities. Its purpose is to promote the history of Paros, its Cycladic character, and its culture in the broadest sense. We believe that the promotion of culture is an essential part of sustainable development.
The collection is published in three languages — Greek, English, and French. This reflects a deliberate commitment to multilingualism, in keeping with the international and multicultural nature of the association, and also with the contemporary population of Paros in a context shaped by European mobility and the growth of tourism.
The series is managed by an editorial committee made up of four members of the association and its board:
Tasos Zacharas (Secretary General), Merina Mathaiopoulou, Sotiris Koutsiaftis, and Yorgos Vlandas (President of the association and Director of the editorial committee).
From the second book onward, the series has been published by Renaissance (“Anagenissi”), a Paros-based publishing company.
Previous Volumes in the Series
Volume I — Cycladic Culture and Gastronomy (2022)
The first book in the series, published in 2022, was titled Cycladic Culture and Gastronomy. For us, culture also includes ways of life, economic activity, and the unique character of local communities. Through its connection to nature, farming traditions, food choices, social ties, and aesthetics, gastronomy expresses the identity of a place and its people, and forms an important part of their heritage.
After an introductory section on the relationship between culture and Cycladic society, the book presents 20 authentic recipes.
Volume II — Paros (2023) –buy it online
The second volume, published in 2023, is Paros, a photographic book by François Jean, a French photographer from Brittany, a regular visitor to Paros, and a member of the association.
Through a carefully composed series of photographs, the book explores landscapes shaped by both nature and human presence. The sequence begins at night, after sunset and before sunrise, creating a distinctive atmosphere. François Jean’s work focuses on nature, the sea, and often modest dwellings, capturing moving details that express the soul of the island. And of course, no portrait of Paros would be complete without its cats.
Volume III — Hidden Wonders of Paros (2024) –buy it online
Published in 2024, Hidden Wonders of Paros reveals the underwater world of the island, showing it to be both fascinating and essential. This hidden world is an important part of the heritage and history of Paros.
Each photograph tells a story and serves as a silent witness to the wonders beneath the sea. The accompanying texts deepen the reader’s understanding of fragile marine ecosystems and the urgent need to protect them. The author, Constance Chalchat Kron, is another regular visitor to Paros and has been a scuba diver for more than thirty years.
Volume IV — Byzantine Paths and Monasteries in Paros (2025) –buy it online
The fourth volume, published in 2025, is titled Byzantine Paths and Monasteries in Paros. It is a collaborative work by Richard Valantasis, an Orthodox priest and former professor of theology at Harvard University, who wrote the text, and Stelios Ghikas, one of the most talented and renowned artists of Paros, who created the illustrations.
The printing of this book was supported financially by the Paros Municipal Council.
The book highlights the Byzantine paths that have existed on the island for centuries and continue to be used by its inhabitants. These paths are not only historical but also spiritual, guiding people through nature, toward one another, and toward the places of contemplation and prayer that are the monasteries of Paros.
Availability
All four volumes, together with the newest publication, are available to the public in bookshops in Parikia and Naoussa on Paros.
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