Berries, blackberries, raspberries - vavatsino
«Βαβάτσινοι (μούρα)» Πηγή: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moreae#/media/File:Morus_alba_fruits.jpg
Berry fruit.
Name - Origin
Mούρο ή βατόμουρο
Additional information and bibliography
Βerries have existed in Cyprus since ancient times. From ancient sources we obtain the reference that the name "batia" for the berries is an idiom of the Salaminian people.The berries as "batia" with special reference to the Salaminian people are recorded in two ancient passages. The earliest reference comes from Athenaeus (2nd-3rd century AD) in his work 'Dipnosophistae' and the second from the 'Lexicon' of Hesychius (5th century AD). Athenaeus, under the heading 'sycamines', gives information on various names given to sycamines either by ancient authors or in different places (Athenaeus, Dipnosophistai 2.51f, 308). Hesychius lists 'βάτια' as an entry, with the explanation 'the fruit of the mulberry tree from the Salaminian people' (Hesychius, Synagogue of all words by element - Translation: Hadjiioannou 1975, vol. B, 363).
In the more recent past, berry trees were cultivated in the irrigated areas of Cyprus (Lapithos, Kythrea, Varossi, Akanthou, Karpasia, Marathasa, Solea, Morphou, Episkopi in Limassol, the coastal plain of Paphos, etc.) and even in the yards of people's houses all over the island. At somewhat higher altitudes, berry trees thrived more and the quality of the silk, which the leaves of the tree were used for, was better (Ionas 2001, 23).
Athenaeus, Deipnosophists 2.51f in Athenaeus, The Deipnosophists Loeb Classical Library, vol.1, Gulick C. B. (ed.) (1969), Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 308.
Gennadios P. G. (1914), Lexicon phytological: Containing the names, nativity and life of more than a thousand plants, including those cultivated for their usefulness. From the Printing House of Paraskeva Leonis, Athens.
Yangoullis K. G. (2009), Thesaurus of the Cypriot Dialect. Interpretative, Etymological, Phraseological and Nomenclatural. Dictionary of the Medieval and Modern Cypriot Dialect, Library of Cypriot Folk Poets,70, Theopress Publications, Nicosia.
Ionas I. (2001), The traditional professions of Cyprus, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XXXVII, Nicosia.
Kypri Th. D. (ed.) (1979 [2002²]), Materials for the compilation of a historical dictionary of the Cypriot dialect, Part A, Glossary of George Loukas, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XLI, Nicosia.
Kypri Th. D. (ed.) (1983 [2003²]), Materials for the compilation of a historical dictionary of the Cypriot dialect, Part B, Glossary of Xenophontos P. Pharmakidou, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, IX, Nicosia.
Panaretos A. (1950), "Cypriot agricultural folklore", Cyprus Studies IV
Petrou-Poietou E. (2013), "Where does the name come from. Epifanios Publications, Nicosia, Nicosia.
Hesychius, Synagogue of all words by element, λ. βάτια in: Chatziioannou K. (1975), Ancient Cyprus in the Greek Sources, Vol. A-6th Edition of the Holy Archbishopric of Cyprus, Nicosia.
Tonia Ioakim, Ivi Michael, Savvas Polyviou, Natassa Charalambous / Petroulla Hadjittofi, Argyro Xenophontos
Foods
Sykamia, sykaminia - mulberry tree
Sykamies thrived at higher altitudes and their leaves were used to make silk.