Name - Origin
Πέρκα.
Functional and symbolic role
Perka (perch) is a type of fish that seems to have been consumed by the ancient Cypriots, but there is no other information on it. In an extract from Lucian's work it seems that perch, as well as saperdes and onions, were famous items of the island (see Supplementary Info).
Additional information and bibliography
Excerpt from Lucian’s Dialogues of the Courtesans 14.320 (2nd century AD): ‘as we sailed from the Bosporus, I brought you onions from Cyprus and five saperdes and four perch (translation Hadjioannou 1975)
Lucian, Dialogues of the Courtesans 14.322 in: Macleod, M.D. translation (1992) Lucian-Dialogues of the Courtesans, Loeb Classical Library v.7. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 456
Hadjioannou, K. (1975) Η Αρχαία Κύπρος εις τας Ελληνικάς Πηγάς, vol. B. Nicosia: Holy Archbishopric of Cypruspublications, 382-383.
Natassa Charalambous
