On the island of Chios, mastic is cultivated from the aromatic resin mastiha, which is extracted from the shrub pistacia lentiscus. Mastic is renowned for its numerous properties and is a family-oriented occupation that requires laborious care throughout the year by both men and women, of all ages, who are equally involved in all stages.
Winter is the time when men fertilize the shrubs and prune them; by mid-June, women sweep, level, and clean the ground around the trunk so that the mastic can be easily recovered.
The word mastic has been used in Greek antiquity for at least 2,500 years. It is from the word masticháein which means "to gnash the teeth." It is also the source of the English word chew. Mastic tears were first mentioned by Hippocrates. He used mastic for the treatment of digestive problems, colds, and as a breath freshener. The Romans used mastic along with honey, egg, pepper, and spice in their wine conditum paradoxum.
In the Byzantine Empire, the mastic trade was monopolized by the Emperor, while in the Ottoman Empire the Sultan would gather the finest mastic crop for his harem. When the Ottoman Empire ruled over Chios, the mastic was worth its weight in gold, and the penalty for stealing it was executed by the order of the sultan.
It has long been known that Mastic has many properties, and it has its own culture which requires laborious care throughout the year from men and women of all ages. Men are in charge of the natural fertilization and pruning during the winter, and women are in charge of sweeping, leveling, and cleaning the land around the trunk in order to recover the mastic.
Incisions are made on the bark and branches of the mastiha from July onwards. Once the mastic has solidified, women select the larger ‘tears’ and place them in wooden boxes in a cool place.
The older people of the community pass their techniques for incision and harvesting on to younger generations. Mastic culture has evolved into a holistic social event around which alliances and mutual assistance have been built. Old tales and stories are also used to foster collective memory through the practice of mastic culture.
In Chios, Mastic is produced from the aromatic resin mastiha, extracted from the shrub pistacia lentiscus in Chios.
The word mastic has been used in Greek antiquity for at least 2,500 years. It is from the word masticháein which means "to gnash the teeth." It is also the source of the English word chew. Mastic tears were first mentioned by Hippocrates. He used mastic for the treatment of digestive problems, colds, and as a breath freshener. The Romans used mastic along with honey, egg, pepper, and spice in their wine conditum paradoxum.
In the Byzantine Empire, the mastic trade was monopolized by the Emperor, while in the Ottoman Empire the Sultan would gather the finest mastic crop for his harem. When the Ottoman Empire ruled over Chios, the mastic was worth its weight in gold, and the penalty for stealing it was executed by the order of the sultan. It has long been known that Mastic has many properties, and it has its own culture which requires laborious care throughout the year from men and women of all ages. Men are in charge of the natural fertilization and pruning during the winter, and women are in charge of sweeping, leveling, and cleaning the land around the trunk in order to recover the mastic. Incisions are made on the bark and branches of the mastiha from July onwards. Once the mastic has solidified, women select the larger ‘tears’ and place them in wooden boxes in a cool place.
The older people of the community pass their techniques for incision and harvesting on to younger generations. Mastic culture has evolved into a holistic social event around which alliances and mutual assistance have been built. Old tales and stories are also used to foster collective memory through the practice of mastic culture.
The Chios forest fire in August 2012 destroyed some mastic groves, threatening mastic production.
Traditionally, mastic is used in liqueurs such as Mastika (or Mastichato), in sweets like submarines (Greek: Romanized: ), and in beverages, chewing gum, desserts, bread, and cheese. Mastic is also used as a stabilizer for loukoumi and ice cream. Jewish halachic sources indicate that mastic is also used as a treatment for bad breath. "On Shabbat, mastic is not chewed. When the intention is medicinal, it is permissible to chew mastic". It is an essential component of chrism, the holy oil used by Eastern Orthodox Churches for anointing.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/know-how-of-cultivating-mastic-on-the-island-of-chios-00993) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastic_(plant_resin)) |Subject=Belief, Music |Country=Greece |SDG=(08) Decent Work and Economic Growth, (09) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, (11) Sustainable Cities and Communities, (12) Responsible Consumption and Production }}