ANTIPAROS (anc. Oliaros)  , an island of the kingdom of Greece, in the modern eparchy of Naxos, separated by a strait (about 12 m. wide at the narrowest point) from the west coast of Paros . It is 7 m. long by 3 broad, and contains about 700 inhabitants, most of whom live in Kastro, a village on the north coast, and are employed in agriculture and fishing . Formerly piracy was common . The only remarkable feature in the island is a stalactite cavern on the south coast, which is reached by a narrow passage broken by two steep and dangerous descents which are accomplished by the aid of rope-ladders . The grotto itself, which is about 150 ft. by too, and 5o ft. high (not all can be seen from any part, and probably some portions are still unexplored); shows many remarkable examples of stalactite formations and incrustations of dazzling brilliance . It is not mentioned by ancient writers; the first western traveller to visit it was the marquis de Nointel (ambassador of Louis XIV. to the Porte) who descended it with a numerous suite and held high mass there on Christmas day 1673 . There is, however, in the entrance of the cavern an inscription recording the names of visitors in ancient times . See J . P. de Tournefort, Relation d'un voyage au Levant (1717) ; English edition, 1718, vol. i. p . 146, and guide-books to Greece .