The Greek Islands (34 page)

This small country, so repeatedly raped and shattered and ground to powder, and then reduced to the bare calc of its desolate capes and headlands, never had any fixed geographical borders. It was a state of mind. And the traveller will not be wrong if he detects even today, after so many centuries of
so-called
decline, a pulse-beat at the heart of Greek light, which still thuds with the old anxious curiosities and concerns. Greece may be all ashes, but the phoenix is still there, waiting for its hour.

The Greek islands are rocky and mountainous; the mountain regions are mostly of a limestone nature, but sandstones and clays prevail in the valleys. All the geological periods are represented from the Neotriassic to the Pleistocene, including modern alluviums. In Corfu, where this subject has been more thoroughly studied, Dr Sordina’s recent excavations show that the island has been inhabited from upper Palaeolithic times, some 35,000 years ago. No human skeletons have so far been found, but numerous stone tools of the Levallois-Moustier type evince that those early settlers belonged to the Neanderthal race.

The climate of the islands is warm-temperate. In Corfu, the yearly mean is about 17.5°C. Rainfall differs considerably from one island to another. Corfu has the highest rainfall in Greece (with the exception, some years, of the Jannina
mainland
area), with a total of about 1300 mm per year. Zante, too, has an abundant rainfall, but the other islands, and especially those in the Aegean Sea, have a much drier climate. For this reason, the Ionian Islands are mostly well wooded, while some of the smaller Aegean Islands are little more than bare rocks. The rainy season is from winter to spring, and this is followed by a three-to-five-month summer drought. Snow falls are rare, except on the higher mountains, especially those of Crete.

It should not be forgotten that the terrain of the Greek islands varies considerably in height, from sea-level to the White Mountains (2450 m) of Crete. The flora, in consequence, varies from the semi-tropical to alpine. The account below largely confines itself to providing a much-condensed list of flowers growing around sea-level – which are the ones most likely to be met with by the casual visitor.

The flora and fauna of mainland Greece and the islands are mostly that of the north-east Mediterranean basin and, owing to the mild climate, many semi-tropical plants have become acclimatized; among these are Dracaena, Yucca and Aloe. The date-palm grows freely; but, in most of the islands the fruit drops off the tree before it is ripe enough to be eaten. In the south of Crete, however, dates can reach maturity, as can bananas.

As far as the native flora is concerned, Corfu and Zante strike the casual beholder as being one vast olive grove. The reason for this is that during the long Venetian occupation (1386–1797), the peasants were encouraged by the authorities to plant olive trees and could pay their taxes in olive oil. A census taken in the 1960s gave their number as 3,100,000 for Corfu alone. The variety mostly cultivated is the Lianolia (
Olea europaea
craniomorpha
) which produces a small black olive that is very rich in oil. The Corfu trees have never been pruned and many have reached a great size and age; some of them are reputed to be six hundred years old and more. The crop is most abundant every other year, and is sometimes heavily damaged by a small fly (
Dacus oleae
) whose grubs attack the immature olives and cause them to fall to the ground. The culture of the olive on the Greek islands (and mainland) goes very far back in antiquity; and deciphering of the Cretan (Minoan) scripts on many clay
tablets originating in Crete have shown from the detailed
accounts
kept in the Cretan palaces that taxes were paid in olive oil, and this oil was stored in the huge and often beautifully
decorated
storage jars kept in the magazines still to be seen at Knossos and other Minoan sites on Crete. It is clear that the culture of the olive was a very large and important part of agriculture on Crete, and almost certainly in the many other Aegean Islands where the Minoan civilization was supreme between 2500–1200
BC
.

In Cephalonia, Mt Ainos (1628 m) is famous for its forest of Cephalonian Fir (
Abies cephalonica Loudon
). Chios has large numbers of Mastic Trees (
Pistacia terebinthus L.
) from which a kind of chewing-gum is made.

One of the commonest trees on the islands is the
Mediterranean
Cypress (
Cupressus sempervirens
), of which two varieties are seen: the slender var.
stricta
and the spreading var.
horizontalis
. The peasants call the first the male and the second the female tree; but the Cypress is in reality
monoecious
with the male and female flowers on the same tree. The Aleppo pine (
Pinus halepensis
) is also abundant. It is often attacked by the Processionary caterpillar, the larva of the moth
Thaumetopoea
pityocampa
, whose untidy web-like nests can be seen hanging among the branches. The hairs of this caterpillar are highly irritating to the skin and can even cause blindness should they reach the eyes. In Crete and the south-east islands of the Dodecanese,
Pinus halepensis
is replaced by
Pinus brutia
, a
species
generally resembling
P.
halepensis
but differing in the straight trunk and branches, its thicker leaves, and the very short and not recurved stems of the cones. Other trees are White Poplar (
Populus alba
), Elm (
Ulmus campestris
) and Eastern Plane (
Platanus orientalis
). The White Poplar seems, unfortunately, to be succumbing to various fungoid diseases and is being replaced by the more resistant Canadian Poplar (
Populus canadensis
).

Curious to say, a very common tree is the ‘Tree of Heaven’ (
Ailanthus altissima
) which is not indigenous to Europe at all. It was imported to France from North China as a garden tree about 1751 and has become perfectly naturalized all round the Mediterranean area; it grows rapidly and seeds itself
everywhere
by means of its winged seeds. It is a fine tree which can reach a height of 20 metres and more, and is a beautiful sight in June and July when it appears to be covered with huge crimson flowers. The actual flowers are, however, small and
inconspicuous
, greenish white in colour; it is the leaves immediately surrounding them which turn bright red and orange during florescence. The peasants dislike this tree, whose seedlings often invade their fields and vineyards, and call it
Vromodendro
(Stinking Tree) because of the disagreeable smell of its flowers and of its leaves when rubbed. But, owing to its quick growth and spreading root system, the Ailanthus is an excellent erosion-arresting tree that should be actively encouraged.

In classical times, Corfu and the opposite mainland of Epirus were famous for their oak trees – Dodona is only eighty
kilometres
east of Corfu – but these are rare nowadays; the uplands of both sides of the straits are bare and rocky. On the Corfu side this was due to a great extent to the Venetian shipyards whose ruins can still be seen near Govino Bay; on the Epirote hills the damage was mostly due to the Napoleonic Wars. Both the British and the French governments brought great quantities of timber from Ali Pacha, the semi-independent Turkish ruler of Jannina, for the construction of their fleets. When it is
remembered
that at least two thousand oaks not counting other trees – were needed to build a single ship of the line, the wholesale disappearance of entire forests can be understood.

On most of the islands Orange, Lemon, Almond and other fruit trees, together with vines, are cultivated. In many of them a dense native
maquis
can be found. This is principally
composed of Myrtle (
Myrtus communis
); Laurel (
Laurus nobilis
); Lentisk (
Pistacia lentiscus
); Christ’s Thorn (
Paliurus
spina-christi
); Judas Tree (
Cercis sili-quastrum
); Chaste Tree (
l’itex agnus-castus
); Holm Oak (
Quercus ilex
); Kermes Oak (
Q. coccifera
); Greek Heath (
Erica verticillata
); Tree Heather (
E. arborea
); Strawberry Tree (
Arbutus unedo
); Spanish Broom (
Spartium junceum
); Thorny Broom (
Calycotome villosa
) and Bracken (
Pteridium aquilinum
). The Strawberry Tree is of interest, as its orange-red globular fruit, which ripen in autumn, can produce a kind of delirious intoxication if eaten on an empty stomach. Their flavour resembles that of the garden strawberry and a delicious jelly can be made from them.

Many of the species listed above are long-lived and would grow into large trees if allowed. Unfortunately, they are not allowed to do this owing to the depredations of goats and the fuel demands of local brick-kilns and potteries.

In some parts of Greece January is called ‘The Pruner’ because now the husbandman trims vines and trees. An omen is drawn from the observation of the weather at Epiphany. The following saying illustrates this:

The woods are starred with Anemones, mostly
Anemone
coronaria
.
They can be found in several colours: mauve, scarlet and, more rarely, white. The mauve and purple varieties of
Anemone coronaria
are very frequent not only in the Ionian Islands but in Crete, and some of the Aegean Islands, and so is the scarlet
variety in Rhodes. In the south-eastern Dodecanese Islands and in Crete,
Ranunculus asiaticus
, an indication of the proximity of Asia, flowers with the Anemones, being often confused with them in colour in varieties from white to pink, scarlet and yellow.

The pink or white flowers of the cultivated and wild Almond Tree (
Amygdalus communis
) are in full bloom. Flowering often begins as early as mid-December.

The Winter Crocus (
Crocus sieberi
) shows its lavender flowers.

The Japanese Loquat (
Eriobotrya japonica
) is still in bloom – begins in December – and its delicious scent is strongest just after sunset.

The Wisteria (
Wisteria fructescens
) blooms before its leaves have appeared.

New Year’s Day
This day belongs to St Basil; a cake with a silver coin in it is made and cut, and luck belongs to whoever finds the coin. After supper the family plays games of
divination
. A slice of New Year cake under a girl’s pillow will do for a Greek girl what a slice of wedding-cake does for an English girl.

Twelfth Day
The curious ceremony of diving for the Cross, thrown into the sea by a priest, can be seen both in the islands and on the Greek mainland. A dozen or so shivering lads contend for the prize, and duck the winner of the reward.

The feast of St John the Baptist is on 7 January and there is mumming in the streets by children in masks.

The January weather is often fine, dry and cold (the Halcyon days).

On the 2nd falls the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin (our Candlemas), and the prevailing weather on this day is popularly supposed to last forty days.

Anemones still at their best.

The large purple Periwinkle (
Vinca major
) begins to flower.

The purple-blue Cretan Iris (
Iris unguicularis ssp. cretensis
) appears.

The deliciously scented Narcissus (
Narcissus tazetta
) thrives in damp places.

Wisteria still in bloom.

The first cuckoo and the early spring winds. Now, in the more southern islands, the first cicadas begin to welcome the
sunlight
, and swallows start building under the house-eaves. (
Destroy
their nests and you’ll get freckles, says popular legend. According to another superstition, there will be a death in the house.) On the 1st of the month the boys fashion a wooden swallow, adorn it with flowers and travel from house to house collecting pennies and singing a little song which varies from place to place in Greece. This custom is of the remotest antiquity and is mentioned by ancient Greek authors.

In some of the Aegean Islands, peasants think it unlucky to wash or plant vegetables during the first three days of March. Trees planted now will wither. The March sun burns the skin; and a red-and-white thread on the wrist will prevent your children from getting sunburn.

Some of the Orchids begin to flower, including the purple Lax-flowered Orchid (
Orchis laxiflora
) which grows in swampy areas. Also various Pyramid, Bee, and Fly Orchids.

Other Irises (
Iris attica
and
I. florentina
) appear.

The bright yellow Bog Iris (
Iris pseudacorus
) brightens the dykes and other swampy places with its quarantine-like flags.

Narcissi still found; Anemones dying off; Periwinkles still seen.

Orange and Lemon Trees in full bloom.

The Aborescent Heath (
Erica arborea
) shows its masses of white flowers. It is from the roots of this plant that ‘briar’ (from the French
bruyère
) pipes are made.

Easter
, which sometimes falls in March, has been grafted on to what was probably the Lesser Eleusinia in ancient times – the return of Persephone. It is the period of red eggs and roasted lamb on the spit today and is ushered in by the great forty-days fast of Lent. The two Sundays before Lent are known
respectively
as ‘Meat Sunday’ and ‘Cheese Sunday’. The week between them answers to our Western carnival week, and is so celebrated in the cities of Greece with masquerades, black dominoes, etc. Scholars hint at pre-Christian survivals saying that these antics suggest the Old Cronia festivals of ancient times, while Lent itself suggests a connection with the Eleusinian mysteries – commemorating Demeter’s long abstinence from food during her search for her lost daughter.

The midnight Mass of Easter Saturday is the high-spot of the year’s festivals and no traveller should miss the impressive ceremony. In villages the gospel is read out in the churchyard under a tree. At the end the news that ‘Christ is risen’ is announced to the banging of gongs and the explosion of
crackers
. In the dark church the priest holds up his consecrated candle and calls out to the congregation: ‘Come and receive the light’; each one lights a taper from his candle and passes the light back into the dark body of the church to the rest of the congregation. If you are lucky enough to get your candle home without it going out you’ll have good luck the coming year.