Lake Copais, also spelled Kopais or Kopaida (Ancient Greek: Κωπαΐς; Greek: Κωπαΐδα), was a lake in the centre of Boeotia, Greece, west of Thebes. It was first drained in the Bronze Age, and drained again in the late 19th century. It is now flat dry land and is still known as Kopaida. A one-time island in the lake was modified in ancient times into a megalithic citadel, now called Gla.
When the lake existed, the towns of Haliartus, Orchomenus, and Chaeronea were on its shores. Rivers feeding the lake included the Cephissus, Termessus and Triton. The lake was (and is) surrounded by fertile land, but the lake increasingly encroached on the surrounding land because of inadequate drainage. In response to this, in 1867–1887 Scots and French engineers reclaimed the land for the British Lake Copais Company, by building channels to drain water from the lake to the Cephissus and from there to Lake Yliki (Ylíki Limní, ancient Hylica). In total about 200 square kilometres (77 sq mi) were reclaimed. This land was returned to the Greek government in 1952.[1]
The Kopais Lake Agency was created in 1957 to supervise the draining of the lake and building of a new road. The task was completed that same year, but the agency with full-time staff of 30 (including a driver for the president of the agency) still existed until 2010.[2][3]
Before this the lake drained into the sea by numerous subterranean channels. Some of these channels were artificial, as the 1st century geographer Strabo recorded.[4] Modern excavation has found enormous channels dug in the 14th century BC which drained water into the sea to the northeast;[5] Strabo mentions work being done on these channels by an engineer named Crates of Chalcis in the time of Alexander the Great.
Lake Copais in ancient literature and mythologyedit
Map of ancient Boeotia.
The Copais lake was probably drained first during the bronze age by the Mycenaeans, creating one of the most sophisticated agricultural water management systems in the ancient Aegean.[6] Excavated remains indicate that up to 400,000,000 m³ of stone and roughly 200,000,000 m³ of earth were moved in order to regulate the Kephissos and Melas river by a complex system of polder dykes, which drained the basin during the flood seasons.[7] The system featured a central, 25 km long, stone lined canal, up to 40 m wide and 2.5 m deep. Multiple smaller canals and a series of natural subterranean holes or "katavothres" were used to drain excess water.[citation needed]
There was a legend that the lake came into being when the hero Heracles flooded the area by digging out a river, the Cephissus, which poured into the basin.[8]Polyaenus explains that he did this because he was fighting the Minyans of Orchomenus: they were dangerous horseback fighters, and Heracles dug the lake in order to unhorse them.[9] Another story has the lake overflow in the mythical time of Ogyges, resulting in the Ogygian deluge.[10]
The travel writer Pausanias and the 5th century BC comic playwright Aristophanes record that in antiquity Lake Copais was known for its fish, especially the eels.[11]
^"The 'Atimorisia' Illness: Greece's Toothless Battle against Corruption". Spiegel Online. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
^Manolopoulos, Jason (2011). Greece's 'Odious' Debt: The Looting of the Hellenic Republic by the Euro, the Political Elite and the Investment Community. Anthem Press. p. 288. ISBN978-0-85728-771-7.
^, Hellenic Ministry of Culture, accessed 12/2011; , accessed 12/2011.
^Caspers, H. (1987). "J. Knauss, B. Heinrich, H. KAlcyk: Die Wasserbauten der Minyer in der Kopais – die älteste Flußregulierung Europas. = Institut für Wasserbau und Wassermengenwirtschaft, Technische Universität München; Bericht Nr. 50, 262 S. 1984. ISSN 0172-7494. DM 35,–". Internationale Revue der gesamten Hydrobiologie und Hydrographie (in German). 72 (2): 266. doi:10.1002/iroh.19870720220.
^Simpson, R. Hope (2006). Mycenaean fortifications, highways, dams and canals. D. K. Hagel. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag. ISBN91-7081-212-8. OCLC 70207931.
^Entry "Ogyges" in Oskar Seyffert, A Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, Revised and edited by Henry Nettleship and J.E. Sandys, New York: Meridian Books, 1956.
lake, copais, also, spelled, kopais, kopaida, ancient, greek, Κωπαΐς, greek, Κωπαΐδα, lake, centre, boeotia, greece, west, thebes, first, drained, bronze, drained, again, late, 19th, century, flat, land, still, known, kopaida, time, island, lake, modified, anc. Lake Copais also spelled Kopais or Kopaida Ancient Greek Kwpais Greek Kwpaida was a lake in the centre of Boeotia Greece west of Thebes It was first drained in the Bronze Age and drained again in the late 19th century It is now flat dry land and is still known as Kopaida A one time island in the lake was modified in ancient times into a megalithic citadel now called Gla Location of Lake CopaisLake Kopais Contents 1 Drainage 2 Lake Copais in ancient literature and mythology 3 References 4 External linksDrainage edit nbsp British built Lake Copais Company dredger at workWhen the lake existed the towns of Haliartus Orchomenus and Chaeronea were on its shores Rivers feeding the lake included the Cephissus Termessus and Triton The lake was and is surrounded by fertile land but the lake increasingly encroached on the surrounding land because of inadequate drainage In response to this in 1867 1887 Scots and French engineers reclaimed the land for the British Lake Copais Company by building channels to drain water from the lake to the Cephissus and from there to Lake Yliki Yliki Limni ancient Hylica In total about 200 square kilometres 77 sq mi were reclaimed This land was returned to the Greek government in 1952 1 The Kopais Lake Agency was created in 1957 to supervise the draining of the lake and building of a new road The task was completed that same year but the agency with full time staff of 30 including a driver for the president of the agency still existed until 2010 2 3 Before this the lake drained into the sea by numerous subterranean channels Some of these channels were artificial as the 1st century geographer Strabo recorded 4 Modern excavation has found enormous channels dug in the 14th century BC which drained water into the sea to the northeast 5 Strabo mentions work being done on these channels by an engineer named Crates of Chalcis in the time of Alexander the Great Lake Copais in ancient literature and mythology edit nbsp Map of ancient Boeotia The Copais lake was probably drained first during the bronze age by the Mycenaeans creating one of the most sophisticated agricultural water management systems in the ancient Aegean 6 Excavated remains indicate that up to 400 000 000 m of stone and roughly 200 000 000 m of earth were moved in order to regulate the Kephissos and Melas river by a complex system of polder dykes which drained the basin during the flood seasons 7 The system featured a central 25 km long stone lined canal up to 40 m wide and 2 5 m deep Multiple smaller canals and a series of natural subterranean holes or katavothres were used to drain excess water citation needed There was a legend that the lake came into being when the hero Heracles flooded the area by digging out a river the Cephissus which poured into the basin 8 Polyaenus explains that he did this because he was fighting the Minyans of Orchomenus they were dangerous horseback fighters and Heracles dug the lake in order to unhorse them 9 Another story has the lake overflow in the mythical time of Ogyges resulting in the Ogygian deluge 10 The travel writer Pausanias and the 5th century BC comic playwright Aristophanes record that in antiquity Lake Copais was known for its fish especially the eels 11 References edit Buildings of the Installations of Copais Company Hellenic Ministry of Culture accessed 12 2011 Mycenaean Gla accessed 12 2011 The Atimorisia Illness Greece s Toothless Battle against Corruption Spiegel Online Retrieved 11 April 2012 Manolopoulos Jason 2011 Greece s Odious Debt The Looting of the Hellenic Republic by the Euro the Political Elite and the Investment Community Anthem Press p 288 ISBN 978 0 85728 771 7 Strabo 9 2 18 Buildings of the Installations of Copais Company Hellenic Ministry of Culture accessed 12 2011 Technology in Ancient Greece accessed 12 2011 Caspers H 1987 J Knauss B Heinrich H KAlcyk Die Wasserbauten der Minyer in der Kopais die alteste Flussregulierung Europas Institut fur Wasserbau und Wassermengenwirtschaft Technische Universitat Munchen Bericht Nr 50 262 S 1984 ISSN 0172 7494 DM 35 Internationale Revue der gesamten Hydrobiologie und Hydrographie in German 72 2 266 doi 10 1002 iroh 19870720220 Simpson R Hope 2006 Mycenaean fortifications highways dams and canals D K Hagel Savedalen Paul Astroms Forlag ISBN 91 7081 212 8 OCLC 70207931 Diodorus Siculus 4 18 7 Pausanias 9 38 7 Polyaenus Strategemata 1 3 5 Entry Ogyges in Oskar Seyffert A Dictionary of Classical Antiquities Revised and edited by Henry Nettleship and J E Sandys New York Meridian Books 1956 Pausanias 9 24 2 Aristophanes Acharnians 880External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lake Copais Ghembaza Therese 2012 The Mysteries of Lake Copias and the Island of Gla Therese Ghembaza Strabo Geography Perseus website see especially 9 2 16 27 translated by H L Jones 1924 Pausanias Description of Greece Perseus website translated W H S Jones and H A Ormerod 1918 Google Earth air view of the Lake Copais plain Google Earth ground view across the Lake Copais plain from the south Google Earth ground view across the Lake Copais plain from the east Google Earth ground view in the middle of the Lake Copais plain Wikimedia Commons 38 27 N 23 03 E 38 45 N 23 05 E 38 45 23 05 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lake Copais amp oldid 1191164894, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
