Sykamia, sykaminia - mulberry tree
Sykamies thrived at higher altitudes and their leaves were used to make silk.
Name - Origin
Μουριά. Mulberry tree (Yangoullis 2009, entry συκαμιά,η, 454). Xenophon P. Pharmakidis notes in the Glossary that this is the συκομορέα (sykomoréa tree) (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry συκαμιά,η, 349).
ETYM. συκαμινιά (sykaminia) < ancient συκάμινος (sykáminos), with haplology (Yangoullis 2009, entry συκαμιά,η, 454) Plural: sykamiés. The tree is also callled sykaminiá - plural sykaminiés. The fruit is called vavátsinos - pl. vavátsinoi and the tree is also called vavatsiniá from the fruit - plural: vavatsiniés (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry συκαμιά,η, 349). s. sykamiá pl. sykamiés
Mulberry trees used to be cultivated in the irrigated areas (Lapithos, Kythrea, Varosi, Akanthou, Karpasia, Marathasa, Solea, Morphou, Episkopi in Limassol district, the coastal plain of Paphos, etc.), but also in the yards of residents' houses all over the island. Sykamies thrived at higher altitudes and their leaves were used to make silk as it was of higher quality (Ionas 2001, 23).
Additional information and bibliography
In the northwest of Larnaca district, there is a village called Vavatsiniá. Blackberries are called vavátsinoi because of their resemblance to mulberries (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry συκαμιά,η, 349).
Yangoullis K. G. (2014), Θησαυρός Κυπριακής Διαλέκτου. Ερμηνευτικό, Ετυμολογικό, Φρασεολογικό και Ονοματολογικό Λεξικό της Μεσαιωνικής και Νεότερης Κυπριακής Διαλέκτου, Βιβλιοθήκη Κυπρίων Λαϊκών Ποιητών, Theopress Publications, Nicosia.
Ionas, I. (2001). Παραδοσιακά επαγγέλματα της Κύπρου. Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research XXXVII, Nicosia.
Kypri Th. D. (ed.) (1983 [2003²]), Υλικά διά την σύνταξιν ιστορικού λεξικού της κυπριακής διαλέκτου, Μέρος Β΄, Γλωσσάριον Ξενοφώντος Π. Φαρμακίδου, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, IX, Nicosia.
Stalo Lazarou, Argyro Xenophontos, Tonia Ioakim
Traditional Recipes
Pastosyka - dried figs
In the past, dry white figs were called pastosyka, and dry dark coloured were called maxilles. Maxilles are produced in Paphos. The sweetest and tastiest are those of Lysos and Arodes (villages of…