Name - Origin
Green olives, which are preserved in brine. Pharmakidou XP (2003, p. 163)
They were called kolymbates, to show that the olives are "swimming"(kolymboun) in water. The noun olives is omitted and only the adjective (kolymbates) remains (Pharmakidou XP, 2003, p. 163).
The olives are harvested when green before they start to turn black and after theya re processed to rid them of their bitterness, they are placed in brine to be preserved. (Pharmakidou XP, 2003, p. 163)
Functional and symbolic role
The olives were collected in early September in order to prepare the kolymbates, and they were served with olive oil, thyme or oregano (MANRE, 2008).
Additional information and bibliography
Συχνή είναι η φράση: «φέρ’ μας λλίες κολυμπάτες, γιατί αρέσκουν μας πολλά».
Φαρμακίδου ΞΠ (2003, σελ. 163)
Pharmakidou XP (1983). Glossary of Xenophon P. Pharmakidou, [Materials for the compilation of the Historical Dictionary of the Cypriot Dialect, part B', ed. T. D. Kypri], Centre for Scientific Research, Nicosia, 2nd ed., 2003.
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment (2008), Preservation of olives and olive preparations, Press and Information Office, Nicosia, 14th edition.
Stalo Lazarou, Dimitriou Demetra
