Mastichochoria
Encyclopedia
Mastichochoria is a former municipality on the island of Chios
, North Aegean, Greece
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Chios
, of which it is a municipal unit. It is located in the southwestern and extreme southern part of the island. It is the largest municipal unit in land area on Chios at 211.687 km². Its population was 4,744 at the 2001 census. The seat of the municipality was Pyrgi (pop. 1,044). The next largest towns are Kalamotí (718), Armólia (611), Mestá (501), and Lithío (455).
This area is well known for the production of mastic
, from which it derives its name. Mastic is the hardened resin of the mastic shrub and is only harvested on Chios, being a major part of the local economy. In the village of Pyrgi, there is even a small Museum of Mastic.
In the Chios Massacre
of 1822, during the Ottoman
rule of Chios, the people of Mastichochoria were spared so that they could continue serve the Sultan by providing him and his harem with mastic.
Chios
Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages...
, North Aegean, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Chios
Chios
Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages...
, of which it is a municipal unit. It is located in the southwestern and extreme southern part of the island. It is the largest municipal unit in land area on Chios at 211.687 km². Its population was 4,744 at the 2001 census. The seat of the municipality was Pyrgi (pop. 1,044). The next largest towns are Kalamotí (718), Armólia (611), Mestá (501), and Lithío (455).
Mastic (plant resin)
Mastic is a resin obtained from the mastic tree . In pharmacies and Nature shops it is called "arabic gum" and "Yemen gum". In Greece it is known as the "tears of Chios," being traditionally produced on that Greek island, and, like other natural resins is produced in "tears" or droplets...
, from which it derives its name. Mastic is the hardened resin of the mastic shrub and is only harvested on Chios, being a major part of the local economy. In the village of Pyrgi, there is even a small Museum of Mastic.
In the Chios Massacre
Chios Massacre
The Chios Massacre refers to the slaughter of tens of thousands of Greeks on the island of Chios by Ottoman troops during the Greek War of Independence in 1822. Greeks from neighbouring islands arrived on Chios and encouraged the Chians to join the struggle for independence. In response, Ottoman...
of 1822, during the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rule of Chios, the people of Mastichochoria were spared so that they could continue serve the Sultan by providing him and his harem with mastic.
External links
- Mastichochoria - official website
- pictures from Mastichochoria in PanoramioPanoramioPanoramio is a geolocation-oriented photo sharing website. Accepted photos uploaded to the site can be accessed as a layer in Google Earth and Google Maps, with new photos being added at the end of every month. The site's goal is to allow Google Earth users to learn more about a given area by...
website