Mastic gum or resin with the exquisite aroma is exuded from the bark of the mastic tree.
Surface : 320 sq. m., 60,000 citizens, capital Chios
Chios, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, five miles from the Turkish coast , west of Izmir, is still an undiscovered seaside resort ; yet this reputed birthplace of Homer is famous for its huge exporting market of gum mastic abroad.
Just as every part in Greece , Chios has a long history. It became a Latin colony in 1172 for nearly four centuries under the siege of the Venetians and the Genoeses who were the first to commercialize the mastic . In 1566 the island fell under the Turkish occupation . Three centuries later in 1821, the Turks engaged in the terrible massacres which were immortalised by Delacroix's Massacre at Chios. It finally ceded to Greece in 1913.
Mastic production
Of the many products that Chios exports, olives, almonds, oranges, lemons and wine, the mastic is the most widely-known abroad. This gum or resin with the exquisite aroma is exuded from the bark of the mastic tree. The mastic trees (Pistacia lentiscus) are Mediterranean evergreens which are exclusively found and cultivated in the southern part of the island, which is more fertile. To visit the southern regions of Chios, one should follow Karfas road out of the capital ; it's about 40 km away.
The story of the mastic goes back to antiquity. In Roman times, women used its stiff stems to freshen their breath and whiten their teeth. Christopher Columbus remained astonished by the mastic's effects when he visited the island and in February 1493 he wrote a letter to the Treasurer of Aragon to announce his discovery. Columbus believed he had found a cure against cholera.
July and August are the best months to start harvesting and the gum mastic producers go to the fields very early in the morning and start making incisions in the trees. This is called kentima. The crop of the transparent resins is collected and rinsed in barrels at the end of August. Then, it is spread out and set to dry while a second cleaning takes place by hand. There are two kinds of mastic. The immaculate, first-class crystals which are called "˜dahtilidopetres', (flintstones) and the soft ones with spots which are called "˜kantiles' (blisters).
Today mastic, which is cultivated in Asia Minor as well as in the Middle East, is exported to more than 50 countries and brings a huge profit to the island every year. As well as being used in cakes, in ice-creams and in other dishes, especially in the Arabian cuisine, the mastic is also used in cosmetics. Lotions for the hair, the skin, tooth pastes for the teeth as well as fragrance can be found everywhere in the market. The mastic has also been found to have anti-microbial properties and virtues . It was used in the past to treat illnesses such as cancerous formations in the stomach, ulcers, abdominal pains and heartburns.
