«Τεράτσ̆ια σε σακί» Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου
Surplus of carobs in merchants’ warehouses.
Name - Origin
The surplus of carobs in the warehouses of the merchants (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry αρτικλαμάς,ο, 132).
It is a Turkish word (Kypri 1983 [2003²], article αρτικλαμάς,ο, 132).
Artiklamas was the name given to the excess quantity of carobs that the carob merchants of Cyprus would find in their warehouses, in relation to the quantity that had been purchased. This surplus was the result of the weighing method. When weighing with stateras (a type of scales), they would not count 1/4, 2/4, or 3/4 of a litra (1 litra=337.6gr). For example, if a sack of carobs weighed 75 ¾ litres, the weigher would only note 75. So, therefore, when a merchant would buy many hundreds and thousands of kantaria (1 kantari=56.5kg), he would find artiklaman. In 2-3 thousands kantaria they would find 10-20 kantaria of surplus (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry αρτικλαμάς,ο, 132).
Additional information and bibliography
Kypri Th. D. (ed.) (1983 [2003²]), Materials for the compilation of a historical dictionary of the Cypriot dialect, Part B, Glossary of Xenophon P. Pharmakides, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, IX, Nicosia.
Stalo Lazarou, Argyro Xenophontos