Giresun Island () 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. It is the largest island on the Turkish Black Sea coast. History Some of the island's ancient names are Aretias (), Areos Nesos () (means island of Ares), Chalceritis () 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. In the mid-Byzantine era, approximately the 5th to 6th centuries, a monastery was constructed on the island. J. Philipp Fallmerayer, who visited the island in 1840, reports that the ruined monastery was dedicated to St. Phocas of Sinope. Anthony Bryer, however, identifies this monastery as the one dedicated to Eleousa, where the Metropolitan Joseph had taken refuge, only to become the victim of marauding Turkish pirates in 1368. Further construction of a castle-monastery complex and defensive ramparts were built between the 10th and 12th century AD. In 2015, during excavations ruins of a chapel from the 11th and 12th centuries were unearthed. In addition, many graves were found around the chapel. Archaeologists mentioned that it seems that during the Byzantine period the island was a religious center. Bryer mentions the tradition that the Greeks living on this island continued to hold out against the Ottomans in spite of the fall of the Empire of Trebizond until 1468, making this island the last Greek realm of its age (except perhaps the