|
Welcome to Chios in the North Aegean group of Greek Islands. Unfamiliar to many, Chios, with a population of less than 60,000, doesn't depend entirely on the tourist industry for its livelihood as it has a thriving industry in the production of mastic. Like many other islands in the North Aegean Group, Chios lies close to the coast of Turkey; only 8kms distant. Also, like many of the other islands, it has an impressive history, particularly in sculpture. In the 7th century BC some of the greatest Greek sculptors were to be found on this island. The island enjoyed a period of independence from Athens and prospered without the strain of the financial dues it would otherwise have had to find. However, Constantine turned his attention to Chios and appropriated many of the finest sculptures. The subsequent centuries saw attack by pirates, Venetians, Catalans and Turks. For a brief period of time under the Genoese, in the 14th century, the island recovered but was recaptured by the Turks in 1566 and was then absorbed into the Ottoman Empire. The 19th century witnessed two disasters for the island. In 1822 Chios joined Samos in rising against the Turkish Ottoman rule and, when it was unsuccessful, suffered terrible retaliation. 25,000 islanders were killed and almost 50,000 taken into slavery. So enduring was the terrible memory that the massacre became the subject of Victor Hugo's poem, L'Enfant de Chios and of the painting, Le Massacre de Chios, by Delacroix, which now hangs in the Louvre. Not 60 years later a massive earthquake hit the island killing almost 6,000 people and destroying many buildings. Almost half the present day population of the island live in the capital town and main port, Chios Town. The waterfront is modern and noisy but you will be rewarded if you take the time to explore the older quarter with its many Turkish buildings grouped around the Genoese castle. One of the more interesting museums to visit is the Philip Argenti Museum which houses an impressive collection of embroideries, traditional costumes and portraits of the family. Two other museums to visit are the archeological museum and the Byzantine Museum. The busy and popular beach resort of Karfas can be found 7kms to the south of Chios Town. Inland the visitor can find the 11th century monastery of Nea Moni, which is a World Heritage site. Once, at the height of its glory, it was considered important enough to attract the most skilled artists in the Byzantine Empire to create its mosaics. In the ossuary can be seen a display of skulls, those of the monks massacred by the vengeful Turks in 1822 when they also set the monastery on fire. Further destruction occurred in the earthquake of 1881 when the mosaics were damaged but, even so, they are still considered some of the finest examples of Byzantine art surviving in Greece. Another sad reminder of 1822 can be seen in the deserted village of Anavatos. Built high on the mountain's sheer side, the villagers chose to fling themselves into the void rather than be captured or killed by the invading Turks. Still deserted it is a a silent reminder of the tragedy. Southern Chios is where the shrubby mastic trees are grown which were once such an important source of income for the island. The villagers of the region had reason to be thankful for their product in 1822 when, owing to the Sultan's fondness for the gum, the villagers were spared the massacre. Hippocrates was one of many that that claimed the gum from the trees had medicinal qualities. It was claimed to be beneficial in curing disorders of the stomach, liver, intestines and bladder. It was also used as an antidote to snake venom and as an additive in chewing gum and the liqueur, arak, Today it's finding a place amongst alternative medicines as being useful in reducing blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. Twenty villages are involved in the production of mastic gum and, collectively, are known as the Mastihohoria. One of the largest of these villages is Pyrgi, a fortified village. The fortifications were erected to protect the villagers from medieval marauders who attempted to steal the mastic. Pyrgi owes its importance to the decorated facades of the buildings. Done is a style known as xysta, in which the surface is covered with a mixture of cement and black volcanic sand which is then covered with white lime. The fantastic designs are then created by scraping away the top surface to reveal the soft grey below. Important in the days when export of mastic was important, Emboreios is now a quiet holiday resort just outside Pyrgi. Two more Mastihohoria villages worth a visit are Olympi and Mesta. Mesta in particular is interesting for its massive fortifications, presenting a perfect example of 14th century defences against pirates and invaders.In the north, Chios is characterised by rugged mountains and sparsely populated villages on scrubby hillsides. Not for the fainthearted, the area attracts the more adventururous. The more important of the villages here is Volissos with its Genoese fort. Reaching the island isn't difficult with several flights a day landing from Athens, and a couple of weekly ones from Thessaloniki. Ferries are frequent, plying between Chios and mainland Greece with others to some of the other islands, including Samos, Kos and Rhodes. |