A spiny marine invertebrate animal which is consumed raw with some lemon juice.
Name - Origin
Αχινός. Ashinos is a spiny marine invertebrate animal. "There are several species of sea urchins in Cypriot waters, where they live in large numbers near the coast... The sea urchin has no head. Its body is spherical and its usual diameter, depending on the species, is 3.5 to 12 centimetres. It has spines all around on a shell of limestone slabs. Its chewing apparatus, which protrudes, consists of five strong teeth, and is known as the lamp of Aristotle because it somewhat resembles the ancient oil lamps. Its colour depends on the species and whether it is alive or dead. The sea urchin usually lives on rocks and in a rocky sea bottom. It basically moves around with its walking feet and its spines, which are also used for defensive purposes. It feeds on small marine animals, greens and seaweed [...] It is filled with eggs when the moon is full” (Great Encyclopedia of Cyprus, vol. 3, entry ασ΄ινός,ο, 13-14).
Plural: ashiní (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry ασ̆ινός,ο, 133).
Ashinós is consumed raw (Great Encyclopedia of Cyprus, vol. 3, entry ασ΄ινός, 13-14).
Functional and symbolic role
The five orange to yellow ovaries are consumed raw from the shell with lemon juice. The black sea urchin and dead sea urchins are not consumed (Great Encyclopedia of Cyprus, vol. 3, entry ασ΄ινός,ο, 13-14).
Additional information and bibliography
Caught by hand, a knife or a spear. It is also caught in fishermen's nets (Great Encyclopedia of Cyprus, vol. 3, entry ασ΄ινός,ο, 13-14).
A broken sea urchin is used as a bait in fishing and for attracting fish when using a fishing rod (Great Encyclopedia of Cyprus, vol. 3, entry ασ΄ινός,ο, 13-14).
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.
Babiniotis G. (2005), Dictionary of Modern Greek Language. With comments on the correct use of words. Interpretative, Orthographic, Etymological, Synonyms, Main Names, Scientific Terms, Acronyms, Centre for Lexicology, Athens, Greece.
Pavlides A. (ed.) (1985), Great Encyclopedia of Cyprus, vol. 3, Filokypros, Nicosia.
Kyriaki Panteli, Argyro Xenophontos