The sacred island of the ancient Greeks, Delos, in mythology, was raised from the Aegean surf by the sea-god Poseidon to offer shelter to Leto who was pregnant with Apollo and Artemis and being persecuted by Hera. Delos is remarkable for its preserves, in quite good condition, one of the most impressive organized ancient settlements.First inhabited in the third millennium B.C., most likely by the Carians, the island by the tenth century B.C. had emerged as a religious center and seat of the Great Amphictyony. In the late sixth century B.C., the island was under Athenian rule. In 540 B.C. Peisistratus orders the first “cleansing” of the island, while during the second, in 426 B.C., the remains of all the dead of Delos were transferred to neighboring Rineia; births and deaths on the island are banned from this point forward to preserve the sanctity of Apollo’s temple. With the arrival of the Macedonians in 315 B.C., the island attains independence and the ability to develop commercially. Later, the Romans’ presence attracted the Egyptians, Syrians, and Italians, spurring the island’s growth even more; in 88 B.C., during the raids by Mithridates wars, the island suffers two devastating attacks that push it into decline and lead to its eventual abandonment in the sixth century B.C. Excavations on the island were begun in 1873 by the French Archaeological School, which brought to light the extensive ruins of this once-glittering center. The Delos Archaeological Museum is one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece. Delos and Rineia are protected by the Ministry of Culture and anchorage or overnight stays are not allowed without authorization. Prehistoric ruins have also been identified around the island, for example at Panormos, the most important being the Neolithic settlement at Ftelia. The same site has been associated in archaic times with the grave of Aias of Locris, a hero of the Trojan war who was worshipped on Mykonos.