Büyük Maden Island | |
Native Name: | Büyük Maden Adası |
Native Name Lang: | Turkish |
Map: | Turkey |
Coordinates: | 39.3833°N 61°W |
Location: | Aegean Sea |
Country: | Turkey |
Country Admin Divisions Title: | İl (province) |
Country Admin Divisions: | Balıkesir Province |
Country Admin Divisions Title 1: | İlçe |
Country Admin Divisions 1: | Ayvalık |
Country 1 Area M2: | or |
Country 1 Area Ha: | --> |
Büyük Maden Island (tr|Büyük Maden Adası, literally Big Mine Island) is an Aegean island of Turkey
The island at 39.3833°N 61°W is a part of Ayvalık ilçe (district) of Balıkesir Province. It is between Cunda Island and Küçük Maden Island. The island currently is uninhabited. Its distance to Cunda island is less than . With an area of, it is one of the bigger islands around Ayvalık.
The ancient name of the island was Pyrgos (el|Πύργος). In the antiquity there were lead mines in the island and the island was foul-smelling. The settlement in the island was named Pordoselene which had a nasty meaning. According to Bilge Umar, Strabon was uneasy with the name of the island and he used the name Poroselene instead.[1] On some rocks of the island there are traces of malachite.