Delos: Greek Isle Deserted by All but Grandeur : There’s no lodging, but the island is home to magnificent ruins.

Sun-struck, wind-swept, barren and rocky, this small island lies in the heart of the deep-blue Aegean, in the center of the Cyclades Islands. Along with Olympia and Delphi, Delos is one of the principal sacred sites of classical Greece. Yet it is the least well-known among them, perhaps because it is the least accessible.

Chartered tour buses arrive frequently at Delphi and Olympia, disgorging large numbers of tourists, but Delos must be approached as the ancients did, from the sea.

Most visitors arrive, as my husband, Stephen, and I did last October, from the popular Greek resort island of Mykonos. We made the 1 1/2-hour crossing on one of the large wooden boats that accommodate about 75 passengers, although rough winds (called meltemmi in summer and vorias --or boreal--in fall and winter) sometimes halt the ferries.

Our voyage to Delos had the feeling of a pilgrimage. We left behind the bustling port of Mykonos--with its narrow streets and buildings of softly contoured, white-washed stucco, its shops and restaurants and cafes--and set off on a sparkling sea to a barren island drenched in Greek mythology.

Here, according to myth, the sun-god Apollo was born. The “Hymn to Apollo of Delos,” the poem describing Apollo’s birth and dating from the 7th Century BC, describes how Leto, impregnated by Zeus and fleeing the wrath of Hera, Zeus’ wife, sought refuge on the humble island. Enduring a painful labor of nine days and nights, she at last bore her son “to be the joy of men, as she rested against Mount Cynthus in that rocky isle, in sea-girt Delos, while on either hand a dark wave rolled on landwards driven by shrill winds.” In some versions of the myth, she then gave birth to Apollo’s twin, Artemis; in others, Artemis was born on nearby Rhenia, separated from Delos by a narrow strait.

The passenger boat docks at the ancient harbor of Delos once used by triremes , the ships of classical times. Before us was the panorama of the ruins of a once-splendid sanctuary and ancient city.

The entire island, three miles long and less than a mile wide, is an archeological site. There are no overnight accommodations for visitors. The only tourist bathroom is in the small museum. Geographically, the island is dominated by the rocky 377-foot cone of Mt. Cynthus. To the north are the marshy remains of the sacred lake, where Leto is said to have crouched in childbirth, as she leaned her back against the mountain.

The sun beats down on Delos unrelentingly much of the year. The arid landscape is rugged, with scarcely any trees for shade. The air is brilliantly clear. We felt at the same time a sense of past grandeur and overwhelming silence, of serenity and strife. The forbidding landscape somehow made us understand why Delos had become a holy place for many centuries, even long before the arrival of the cult of Apollo.

Among the ruins are traces of settlements built by pre-Hellenic tribes, the Cares, dating from 3,000 BC. The Minoans settled on Delos about 1,500 BC. Neolithic sculptures of enigmatic female figures with folded arms have been found throughout the Cyclades and suggest the worship of a Great Mother goddess associated with the Earth and fertility. Just as at Delphi, which we had visited on another trip, the worship of Apollo was established on Delos on the sacred site of an earlier Earth goddess.

After establishing its importance as a classical religious sanctuary, Delos in the 5th Century BC became the center of political alliances under the Athenians, and under the Ptolemies of Egypt and the Macedonians in the subsequent two centuries. Protected by Rome after 166 BC, the island prospered as a free port, competing with Rhodes to the east. Delos became wealthy, with much of its profits coming from the slave trade, and its population grew to 25,000, including not only Greeks but Italians, Syrians, Egyptians, Phoenicians, Jews and Palestinians. A synagogue was established, as well as sanctuaries to Egyptian and Syrian gods.

Delos flourished for 700 years until it was destroyed by the Syrian king of Pontus, Mithridates VI, in 88 BC, and later sacked by pirates. For the next two millennia, the island was repeatedly looted by invaders, pirates and smugglers of antiquities. The pillaged marbles of the ancient buildings were used for buildings on nearby islands.

Despite the plundering, there is still much to see on Delos. The ruins are so vast and complex that it is advisable to purchase one of the guidebooks on sale at the admissions area, or to arrange to join a guided tour, for which reservations can be made on Mykonos. Archeological excavations began in 1837 under the aegis of the French Archeological School of Athens and continue today. The Ministry of Greek Culture controls the archeological site, while politically, Delos and Rhenia are under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Mykonos.

During the classical period, the various city-states placed many sanctuaries, monuments, dedications and treasuries on the Sacred Way leading from the harbor. The inhabitants of Naxos, the large Cycladic island to the south, erected a treasury and a colossal statue of Apollo, whose torso still remains. In modern times, efforts were made to move this statue off the island to a museum, but even in pieces it proved too heavy to transport.

The Naxians also constructed the Terrace of the Lions, a row of roaring, sleek mountain lions along the western flank of the sacred lake. These creatures, perhaps the most beautiful statuary on Delos, are formed of the pure white marble still quarried today on Paros, the island adjacent to Naxos.

Just as at Delphi, a temple to Dionysus was constructed near one of the sanctuaries to Apollo, emphasizing both the connection and opposition of this god of the irrational, the passionate and the theatrical to the sun-god, who represented reason, music and prophecy. We were shocked but amused to see the remains of giant phalluses, which are supported on pillars carved with decorative reliefs of Dionysus and the Maenads, the wild women who were his followers, and of Pan. One bizarre figure was a rooster whose head and neck are elongated into a phallus.

We took a self-guided tour of Delos, but later, back on Mykonos, looked up Alexandra Angeletaki, a native of Mykonos and an archeologist who did her university fieldwork on Delos and conducts guided tours of the site. She told us that archeologists today, curious how ancient peoples lived, study ruins as models of old societies and cultures. In contrast, archeologists of the past were primarily interested in identifying buildings and unearthing artifacts, which were then carted away and placed in museums.

Angeletaki explained that near the Delos waterfront, the warehouses, markets and shops of the one-time commercial district have yielded much information about how inhabitants conducted their daily business. Representations of ships, inscriptions and decorations of maritime themes confirm its importance as a seaport during the Hellenistic period, from the 4th to the 1st centuries BC.

Southeast of the commercial district is an imposing theater, capable of accommodating 5,500 spectators. The theater cistern, an impressive oblong structure supported by carefully built Roman arches, still holds water today. There is other evidence of engineering sophistication in the remains of plumbing pipes embedded in the streets and in the fountains in the elaborate private homes near the theater. These residences are the best-preserved of their period in Greece.

Angeletaki said that the grandeur of many of these homes, with their columned courtyards, classical statues, decorative mosaic floors and spacious banquet halls, is indicative not only of the accumulation of wealth, but also the increasing importance of the individual and of private life. Women were segregated from men (on the top floor of each house) and were not allowed to eat in the banquet halls.

The mosaic floors, decorated with intricate geometric patterns and borders, theatrical masks and maritime motifs such as dolphins and tridents, are particularly beautiful, their colors still lovely after 2,000 years. Especially breathtaking is a mosaic of Dionysus seated on a panther, and another of dolphins leaping in pairs, ridden by gods.

Because of its remoteness, vastness and harsh climate--strong sun, scouring winds and salt spray--Delos is the most difficult archeological site in Greece to preserve, Angeletaki said. The exposed marble buildings and statuary have been heavily eroded. Since her profession is digging up things, Angeletaki surprised us whenshe said she hoped that further excavation would cease and the site be left alone.

GUIDEBOOK

Classical Greece on Delos

Getting there: Several boats leave the harbor at Mykonos between 8:30 and 10 a.m., depending on the season. The crossing to Delos takes about 1 1/2 hours. The return trip departs from Delos midafternoon. Since schedules vary, it is advisable to call the Harbor Authority (local telephone 22218). The round-trip fare is about $9.40. Admission to the island is about $5.90. The Mykonos Town Hall (tel. 22229) can offer information about tours (almost everyone on Mykonos speaks English). During the tourist season, ferries also go from Mykonos to the other Cycladic Islands and to Crete.

Although we visited Delos in the fall, locals say the best time to go is in spring, when the island is green and dotted with wildflowers and before temperatures get too hot. There is also less wind at this time of year, and the boats from Mykonos are more likely to keep to their schedules. Sunglasses and a hat are recommended as protection against the strong sun. Bring your own food and water.

Where to stay on Mykonos: With its lovely harbor and picturesque town, this island is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Greece. Among the best shops are many upscale jewelry stores. Mykonos has an active night life, with bars and discos open until 3 or 4 a.m. There are many hotels, both in the town and at the more remote beaches.

Prices are expensive for Greece, averaging at least $80 for a double in the high season, July and August. Prices drop in April and May, late September and October (as low as $35-$40 for a double). There is regular bus transportation, car and moped rentals on the island. Most of the hotels have vans that will pick you up and take you to the airport free of charge.

The Petasos hotels, in town (tel. 22608) and at Platys Yalos beach (tel. 23437 or 23438), are both air-conditioned and have a swimming pool and gym. More modest but pleasant and clean are the Hotel Psarou Beach (tel. 22382), Hotel Mykonos (tel. 22434) in town and Hotel Carrop Tree (tel. 22038) just outside of town. The hotel reservations desk at the airport is reliable and the service courteous.

Flights from Athens to Mykonos take about half an hour and cost $45 one way. Call Olympic Airways in Athens (local tel. 961-6161 or 929-2111). There is also frequent ferry service from Athens’ port, Piraeus, to Mykonos. The trip takes 5 1/2-6 1/2 hours, and the one-way fare is $9.40. Call the ticket agencies at Piraeus (tel. 412-0224 or 411-7953).

Where to eat on Mykonos: Two restaurants we liked are Alefkandra in town (tel. 22450; about $30 for two, with wine) and the restaurant next to the hotel at Psarou Beach (tel. 22822; about $45 for two, with wine). Specialties include a cheese pie made with a local white cheese that is sweeter than feta, delicate green beans served cold as a salad, grilled fish and lamb dishes. A renowned almond confection ( amygdaloto ) is sold at local candy stores.

For more information: Contact the Greek National Tourist Organization, 611 West 6th St., Suite 2198, Los Angeles 90017, (213) 626-6696.