Agia Irini is one of the most important prehistoric sites in the Aegean, set on a small peninsula near Vourkari. The settlement flourished in the Bronze Age and produced remarkable clay female figures, now displayed in Kea’s Archaeological Museum.

The Site

The Agia Irini peninsula juts into the bay just across the water from Vourkari. The settlement discovered here dates to the Late Bronze Age and is considered significant enough to rank among the most notable prehistoric excavations in the Cyclades. The area’s narrow strait — the Strait of Lambros Katsonis — carries a further layer of history: during the Russo-Turkish war of 1787–1792, the Greek naval hero Katsonis used Kea as a military base and made a night escape through this channel with local assistance.

The Agia Irini Kores

The most celebrated finds from Agia Irini are the Late Bronze Age clay female figures — known as the Agia Irini Kores — displayed in the Archaeological Museum in Ioulida. These life-sized ceramic figures are among the most distinctive objects in the museum and give a vivid picture of the sophisticated ritual life of the Bronze Age settlement. A visit to the museum before or after seeing the Agia Irini site itself adds considerably to the experience of both.

Getting There

Agia Irini is on the peninsula near Vourkari, about 7–8 km from Ioulida. It can be reached by car or as part of the coastal walk between Korissia and Vourkari. Check current site accessibility before visiting, as archaeological sites may have restricted access outside designated periods.

Kefala — Another Prehistoric Site Nearby

North of the Agia Irini peninsula lies Kefala, another significant archaeological location: a rural settlement from the late Neolithic, considered one of the earliest in the Cyclades, with what is thought to be the first organised cemetery outside a settlement in the Aegean. Kefala is not easily accessible from land and carries a beach of the same name.

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