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I. Geographical
site .
Mesta lies on the
South-West part of Chios, on the wider expanse of Masticochoria (Masticochoria
means villages that produce mastic).
One can reach Mesta by following two routes:
a. From Chios, the
capital of the island, by taking the road to Armolia, Pyrgi, Olympoi and
arriving at Mesta (this is the shortest and easiest way).
b. From Chios, by
following the road to Aghios Georgios, Vessa, Elata and ending to Mesta.
Most of the visitors
arrive at the village through one way and return through the other. Mesta
is mostly chosen as a place of sojourn. That is because in spite of its
location in the south site of the island, it is a village from which all
the historically and touristically significant spots are easily accessed.
The capital of Chios, Castrochoria (the villages that are built like castles),
Nea Moni, Anavatos, Volissos, Aghia Markella and other sites of Chios are
connected with Mesta through roads that are in a very good condition.
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back to indexback to Mesta home page .
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II. Name .
Mesta in old medieval
texts is mentioned as Amista, Amistae and Lamiste. Perhaps in Greek it
was named Amistha.
According to another
view the name derives from the Byzantine word "mesta" which means "hard"
(the opposite of "tender").
A
third view is based on the shift of the initial letter of the word Vesta
- Mesta. "Vestas" was the one responsible for the emperor's clothing. "Vestarhaton"
used to be a feud given by the Emperor to "Vestas" in order to honour him.
Unverified tradition
quotes that Mesta was founded by the dwellers of Meskia, a village in Peloponnese
and by the natives that used to live in various small settlements up to
then. They constructed the village by bordering it with a great wall.
Nowadays Mesta has
500 residents approximately. Many more are those who dwell in Athens, Thessaloniki
and in the USA. Associations have been established by the communities of
Athens and of the USA, whose primary concern is to be in direct contact
with the manners and customs of their native land.
Many embellishment
works have been taking place due to the villagers living abroad. In the
past the communities of Egypt and Russia made great offers to the village
whereas these days the communities of the USA and Athens contribute essentially
to the promotion of the village.
The villagers themselves
are vividly interested in the maintenance of their cultural heritage as
well as in the environmental conservancy. As far as cultural issues are
concerned there is the "Cultural Association of Mesta" and about the environment
issues the Association of Amateur Fishermen "The Friends of Limenas".
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back to indexback to Mesta home page .
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A
third view is based on the shift of the initial letter of the word Vesta
- Mesta. "Vestas" was the one responsible for the emperor's clothing. "Vestarhaton"
used to be a feud given by the Emperor to "Vestas" in order to honour him.
