Pefnos or Pephnos or Pephnus ( grc, Πέφνος),-3. or Pephnum or Pephnon (Πεφνόν), was a town of

ancient Laconia Laconia or Lakonia ( el, Λακωνία, , ) is a historical and administrative region of Greece located on the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Its administrative capital is Sparta. The word ''laconic''—to speak in a blunt, con ...

, on the eastern coast of the

Messenian Gulf The Messenian Gulf (, ''Messiniakós Kólpos'') is a sea that is part of the Ionian Sea. The gulf is circumscribed by the southern coasts of Messenia and the southwestern coast of the Mani peninsula in Laconia. Its bounds are Venetiko Island t ...

, distant 20

stadia Stadia may refer to: * One of the plurals of stadium, along with "stadiums" * The plural of stadion, an ancient Greek unit of distance, which equals to 600 Greek feet (''podes''). * Stadia (Caria), a town of ancient Caria, now in Turkey * Stadi ...

from Thalamae. Nowadays, the village Agios Dimitrios of the municipality of

West Mani West Mani ( el, Δυτική Μάνη - ''Dytiki Mani'') is a municipality in the Messenia regional unit, Peloponnese, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Kardamyli Kardamili ( el, Καρδαμύλη, variously transliterated as ' ...

is near or on the spot that ancient Pefnos existed. In front of it, there is a small island of the same name (Pefnos island), which

Pausanias Pausanias ( el, Παυσανίας) may refer to: *Pausanias of Athens, lover of the poet Agathon and a character in Plato's ''Symposium'' *Pausanias the Regent, Spartan general and regent of the 5th century BC *Pausanias of Sicily, physician of th ...

describes as not larger than a great rock, in which stood, in the open air, brazen statues of the

Dioscuri Castor; grc, Κάστωρ, Kástōr, beaver. and Pollux. (or Polydeukes). are twin half-brothers in Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology, known together as the Dioscuri.; grc, Διόσκουροι, Dióskouroi, sons of Zeus, links=no, f ...

, a foot high. There was a tradition, that the

were born in this island. The island is at the mouth of the river Miléa, which is the minor Pamisus of

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...

. The Messenians said that their territories originally extended as far as Pefnos. Pefnos islet from drone

In July 2020 a statue of an egg was placed on the island, depicting the union of

Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label=Genitive case, genitive Aeolic Greek, Boeotian Aeolic and Doric Greek#Laconian, Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label=Genitive case, genitive el, Δίας, ''D� ...

(transformed to a swan) with

Leda Leda may refer to: Mythology * Leda (mythology), queen of Sparta and mother of Helen of Troy in Greek mythology Places * Leda, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia * Leda makeshift settlement, Bangladesh, a refugee camp ...

and proposing that

Helen of Troy Helen of Troy, Helen, Helena, (Ancient Greek: Ἑλένη ''Helénē'', ) also known as beautiful Helen, Helen of Argos, or Helen of Sparta, was a figure in Greek mythology said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world. She was believe ...

was born on this island. The professor of classical archaeology Petros Themelis and the Minister of Culture and Sports of Greece

Lina Mendoni Lina Mendoni ( el, Λίνα Μενδώνη) is a Greek politician. , she serves as Minister of Culture and Sports in the cabinet of Kyriakos Mitsotakis. She has a PhD in archaeology from the University of Athens The National and Kapodistria ...

stated that

was born on the island and inaugurated the statue at 22 August 2020.

References

Populated places in ancient Laconia Populated places in ancient Messenia Former populated places in Greece Locations in Greek mythology

External links

Google maps location of Pefnos

Youtube: "The birth of beautiful Helen at Pefnos"
Drone video of the construction of the statue of Pefnos, with English subtitles
Facebook page of statue of Pefnos in Greek {{ancientLaconia-geo-stub File:Marble on Agios Dimitrios harbour opposite Pefnos island.jpg, Marble on Agios Dimitrios harbour opposite Pefnos island