Giresun Island
island off Giresun, Turkey, the ancient Aretias
Giresun Island (Turkish: Giresun Adası) is a small island that has an area of 4 hectares and lies 1.2 km from the Turkish city of Giresun on the southeastern coast of Black Sea.
History
Some of the island's ancient names are Aretias (Greek: Ἀρητιάς), Areos Nesos (Greek: Ἄρεος νῆσος) (means island of Ares), Chalceritis (Greek: Χαλκερίτις), and Puga. In historical times, the island was likely used by 6th or 5th century BC Greek colonists from the mainland city of Kerasous (presently the city of Giresun).
On the island are the ruins of a roofless stone temple, fortifications and ramparts, and two wine or oil presses. The roofless temple was in ancient times attributed to the Amazons who held religious rituals there. Archaeological studies suggest it was built in the Classical-Hellenistic era. A black round stone about 4 meters diameter, called Hamza Taşı in Turkish, is located in the ruins of the temple. In the present day, this stone is the starting point for a walk as part of the annual Aksu festival and it considered a wishing stone for fertility and health. Archaeology findings suggest the stone was sacred to a Roman stone cult or a Cybele Cult.
In the 1st century AD, the Romans erected a walled settlement with watch-towers as part of defending against pirate raids afflicting the dual-province of Pontus and Bithynia.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Giresun Island” is island off Giresun, Turkey, the ancient Aretias. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Giresun, Island and island, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “island off Giresun, Turkey, the ancient Aretias” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Maps, plans, fabric surveys and administrative records can establish how the site’s name, extent and function changed over time. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 17, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1526709. Authority coordinates are 40.929, 38.436. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Giresun Island”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Giresun Island primary sources, Giresun Island archive and Giresun research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Giresun Island”?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Giresun Island” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.