The embracing couple’s skeletons were dated with the C14 method to 3800 BC while their DNA analysis confirmed the remains were those of a male and female.

Both burials are part of a Neolithic cemetery in the greater area of the Neolithic Diros Cave, in western Mani, where excavations have yielded children’s, embryos’ and adults’ burials dated from 4200 to 3800 BC. According to most recent data and analyses, the cave appears to have been in use from Early to Final Neolithic (6000-3200 BC) and served throughout as settlement and cemetery.

At the end of the Final Neolithic (3200 BC), a severe earthquake sealed the entrance of the cave and the remains of its inhabitants inside. Excavations began after an accidental discovery by speleologists Yiannis and Anna Petrocheilos in 1958.

To read more, please visit greekreporter.com

By A. Makris

The murals that adorn the interior of the church date back to the 16th century AD. They have been influenced from the Athonite and Cretan Schools of Art.

The monastery of Kaisariani had a very rich library and became a significant centre of philosophy. Very important philosophers and scholars of the time, including George Gemistos Plethon, taught here.
The monastery of Kaisariani closed in 1832 upon a decision of king Otto’s regency, the same as almost all the monasteries of Mt Hymettus did.

With 44 different types of orchids alone, Mt Hymettus is an oasis often overlooked by people visiting Athens. Covered with pine forests and small lush valleys, this lung of Athens gives a welcome relief from the hustle and bustle of the city. With well-marked paths leading you up to green slopes, every season hides special delights.

A true botanical paradise, Mt Hymettus - also known as Trelos (Crazy) in modern times - has been renowned since antiquity for its honey and the colour of its marble, of a slightly darker hue than that of Penteli. The mountain is long, narrow, rocky and arid, with a flora that numbers over 600 plant species. These include 31 endemic species, whilst the most interesting plants are to be found among the shrubs. This low mountain has one of the richest assortments of orchids in Greece and Europe (44 species). When walking through the brush above the Monastery of Kaesariani, you can easily come across over ten orchid species in less than an hour.

Mt Hymettus provides refuge to endangered bird species, including the rare Sardinian warbler, the rock nuthatch, the peregrine falcon, the osprey and the long-legged buzzard. Island grouse are rife on the mountain and can easily be recognised by their clucking.

There are sites of cultural importance in the area, such as the Monastery of Kaesariani and the protected Kaesariani Aesthetic Forest. Mt Hymettus has dozens of caves and coves, but the Paeania cave is the most impressive sight. An interesting geological phenomenon is Lake Vouliagmeni, where the southern protrusion of the mountain skirts upon the Saronic Gulf. The lake was once a large sea cave whose roof collapsed and has, today, become a holiday and recreation resort. The entire mountain, from the Paeania cave in the north to Lake Vouliagmeni in the south, is protected by the NATURA 2000 European network.

In the summer the scent of thyme and oregano wafts with each step you take on the dried undergrowth, while in spring the blooming wild flowers decorate the mountain sides with their colours. Surprisingly, the 600 plant species make Mt Hymettus, in proportion to its size, one of the richest environments in entire Europe, as far as flora is concerned. There are also many sites of historical interest hidden on the mountain, including the remains of old churches, (ex. Saint Mark), and the monastery of Kaesariani nestled in one of the forested valleys. From the top you can enjoy the view of Athens, the Saronic Gulf and the mountains of the Peloponnese.

Koutouki Cave is located on the eastern slope of Mount Ymittos, outside the town of Peania. It was discovered by accident several years ago, when a goat fell into the cave through a hole in its roof. The shepherd climbed in to rescue the animal and discovered one of Europe's most beautiful caves. Nowadays, visitors can enter the cave through a tunnel to admire the impressive stalagmites and stalactites. A guided tour of the cave starts every 30 minutes. It can be reached from the city centre by car in an hour.

Open Hours: Monday to Sunday from 09:00 AM to 04:30 PM

The Piraeus flea market, held every Sunday morning by the metro station, is the gritty alternative to Monastiraki’s famous swap meet. The market, which stretches back parallel with the train line for as far as the eye can see, is bursting with stalls and people from 8am till 2pm.

The stalls are a curious assortment: some are large and well-ordered with plastic coverings to shield purchasers from the hot sun, while others are just piles in the street, distinguishable from rubbish only by the attached price tags. There are even wandering stallholders with trays full of glue tubes or large wooden poles covered with lottery tickets. This offers an immediate difference to its Monastiraki counterpart, where vendors often plug typical tourist fare that is continuously on sale in Plaka, sometimes straight from their shops.

As you cruise the narrow space between stalls, everyone seems to be yelling, from the stallholders perched on top of their tables shouting “Ella! Ella!” [Come! Come!] to the customers demanding a discount, and shouts are often interspersed with hands being slammed on tables. You’re not likely to see tourists being teased to buy evil eye pendants in Piraeus; rather, here you are jostled and ignored unless you have your hand firmly on the prize and wave your money in the vendor’s face. Every man for himself.

If you head for the market with ideas about priceless antiques or secondhand treasures, then you are likely to be disappointed. The vast majority of traders sell new products, many of which are the knock-off designer bags and sunglasses that litter every roadside in central Athens. However, many more offer a large variety of clothes and shoes at bargain prices: a fact easily surmised by the crowds of shoppers trawling through piles of Snoopy pants and elbowing each other out of the way.

Further down the row is a general household area, with frying pans dangling from strings, spoons glinting in the sunshine and large women sitting plonked in the middle of their colourful bedspreads. This is certainly a functional market, with families out buying their weekly supplies rather than tourists browsing overpriced jewellery stands.

Among the colourful T-shirts and sandals is the occasional glimmer of the romantic flea market, like a small old man slumped behind a rickety table laden with old coins and stamps. Even more enchanting are the surprises lurking down sidestreets, where some sellers appear to have emptied the contents of their house or taken their car apart and piled it all up in the road.

If you brave it through to the end, there is a minivan in which a woman sells soft drinks and snacks, with pictures for non-Greek speakers. There is also a man with a transportable grill who tends his lamb kebabs with a miniature hairdryer, as well as a few fruit stalls selling bruised and battered pineapples. Gritty? Perhaps. But also a much more enticing and curious experience than squeaky-clean Monastiraki and even some bargains if you’re willing to tackle the crowds.

As originally seen on: www.homeboy.gr

Current level of participants: Intermediate +

Course level: Upper Intermediate +

Course content: Everyday Greek language, grammar, vocabulary, speaking, listening, reading, writing

Class schedule: Every Wednesday from 14th January 2015 to 10th June 2015

Time: 19:30-22:00

Place:  'To Stekkie Mas',  Kallirois & L. Koromila 1, 117 45 Neos Kosmos

For more information and application forms, please contact us at
learn.greek.through.literature@gmail.com.

And very far from your typical female comedian.

Female comics do have a tendency to polarize audiences along gender lines. But after attending Vrana’s utterly brilliant sell-out show Feta with the Queen at Athens Art Links on Saturday night, I can attest that every male I talked to afterwards was just as won over as us ladies.

Since it debuted in 2013, Feta has been wildly successful – selling out in venues such as London, Athens (where Vrana has done a previous season), Melbourne and Edinburgh.

Happily, Vrana fans – and those who missed the Art Links performance - still have the opportunity to see the lady with the “crazy exploding volcano hair” again tonight for her final Art Links performance in Greek. Then again at Theatro 104 in Gazi, where she will shortly kick off a second Athens season of weekly performances of Feta with the Queen.

So what can you expect from Feta?

Cultural stereotypes. Lots of cultural stereotypes. The show is basically a one-hour “compare and contrast” of Vrana’s experiences as a Greek born-and-bred woman living in the UK: How much the Brits do love a good cuppa. How the quintessential English drizzle is the “Hugh Grant of rain”. Why attempting to queue-jump will never go down well in Old Blighty. And how unbelievably vexatious those bloody taps are to most foreigners. (Oh and her chronic case of the hots for Prince Harry.)

That kind of thing.

Initially, when I’d read about Feta, I’d been worried that such “been there, done that” cultural truisms might all come over a little tired.

But Hell no. Vrana is edgy, precociously intelligent and very “street”. She has a romping free-range talent for both mimicry and observational detail, and in her incredibly skilled hands, those classic stereotypes feel like born-again comedy virgins that you’re hearing for the ve-ry first time.

Naturally, the Greeks get their turn too: The typical encounter with “Smoking Guy” in a Greek tax office. What happens when you won’t let a Greek pay the bill. The size of your averagely “modest” Greek wedding. And of course, the “delicate” art of conflict resolution Greek-style. 

On the night we went, Vrana also widened her net to take on Canadians, Germans (of course), Los Angelenos, Australians and Indians (her impression of their toilets and accents provided one of the most howlingly funny moments of the show).

It’s easy to see why this comedian names Eddie Murphy as an early influencer. Just like Murphy, Vrana’s delivery is as fast and furious as a Browning semi-automatic and similarly peppered with expletives. While she veers away from political satire, clearly Vrana is also very politically astute. Evident too are her considerable acting skills. Her account of auditioning for the Hollywood blockbuster Troy and not making the grade because she wasn’t “Greek enough” will have you near tears.

But perhaps Vrana’s finest achievement is how she apparently manages to fling all these “bad to the bone” cultural observations around all night – without causing offence to anyone (my lovely Indian friend in the same row was laughing harder than most).

Besides, at their basic core, cultural stereotypes are hilarious (as Vrana herself reminds us frequently). They’re hilarious because they are so bloody true.

If I had one minor criticism, it would be about the mood shift of Vrana’s closing sketch playing teacher to a kindergarten filled with international representatives. It was conspicuously more political than the rest of the show and for me, hit a somewhat discordant note.

But as one good mate said (a mate who nearly deafened me guffawing so much on Saturday night):

“The fact that so many of her characters, stories and observations come to mind two days afterwards and that I'm still laughing about them is testament to her skill. She’s the best female comedian I've ever seen. And I hope she does marry Harry!”

Another good pal, who admits to now having a stonking great girl crush on Vrana, wants to invite the comedian along on our next big girls’ night out.

It’s true. Katerina Vrana is that smart, sassy and borderline reckless friend you really want to hang out with at Happy Hour.

Katerina, your crown is waiting! (and incidentally, her dad loved the show!)

By Amanda Dardanis

In Greek, Thursday is Pempti (Πέμπτη), meaning the fifth day of the week as Greeks count Sunday as the first day. The word tsikna (Τσίκνα) refers to the smell of cooked meat - however, "Smelly Thursday" has not caught on as a translation.

In English, Mardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday" and so Tsiknopempti is sometimes also called "Fat Thursday" - which is logical as the cooking of all that meat results in vast quantities of fat dribbling down onto the coals.

Typical Tsiknopempti Menu

Meat is king, with the emphasis on grilled meats! Some restaurants and virtually every traditional taverna will put on special menus for Tsiknopempti. By far, the most common item will be some variation of souvlaki -  the Greek version of meat on a stick. These are available almost everywhere - walk carefully to avoid banging into an unexpected grill mostly obscured by smoke, sharing the already narrow streets and walkways!

Tsiknopempti Outside Of Greece

An equivalent of Tsiknopempti is also celebrated in Germany and Poland, but there they are adhering to the Western calendar for Easter, so the date differs. Most Eastern Orthodox and Greek Orthodox church calendars will be in alignment for Tsiknopempti and the rest of the Carnival, Lent, and Easter seasons, but there are some exceptions for faith groups adhering to a different variant of the old calendar.

OMILO Greek Language and Culture! New courses start from September 30th in Maroussi (North Athens) and intensive 1- and 2-week courses are possible in Athens, Syros, Nafplion, Syros, Lefkada and Andros. For more information, email info@omilo.com.

When I heard the Greek language for the first time, I could never imagine that I would ever master the language. I did already speak a few “ordinary” languages such as English, French and German. But then Greek!  I didn’t know where to start, I couldn’t hear where one word stopped and the next one began. The expression “it’s all Greek to me” started to make sense!  Was it my intension to find my way in this labyrinth of words ? Yes indeed, and in the end, it was a pleasant and educative experience!

Lesson 1: Saying “Yes” and “No”. That’s where it all started. Whereas  in most foreign languages the word “No” begins with an “n” and has one syllable ( think about no,nee, nein, njet) the Greeks decided to have an exception to the rule. The Greek for “No” is “Ochi” (όχι) and for Yes is “Ne”.(Ναι)
                                                                                                         
The Greek people have more different ways to say “No” which is  quit amusing!! Oral expressions are, for example, “a”, pretty much the same as the American “a”, or a very fierce”apapapa” ! If for ex. you ask the  the question “ Shall we go for a walk?” you might get a negative answer with the boring-sounding “Ba!” And then not to forget all the gestures which express a “No”: throwing the head back, possibly accompanied by raising the eyebrows. Mere raising of the eyebrows, accompanied by rattling of the tongue, the sound we make when we are slightly annoyed.

Lesson 2: Greeting somebody. In Greek, you can say “ya” (γειά or γειά σας)  when you greet somebody upon arrival or departure; it has got the same meaning as “Hello and Bye”. OK, I will add another free lesson: if you repeat the word “ya”, saying “yaya” (γιαγιά), that means ““grandma”. That is how I taught my nephew his first full sentence” Just repeat “ya” three times, and you are greeting grandma! “Ya ya ya” he shouted at me repeatedly during his stay with us  and every time he burst out in laughter ... And this was only the first lesson!

After a few weeks of intense listening I started to recognise words and tried very hard to remember them. Fortunately I had my husband, whom I could ask for advise and my mother in law “to practise”. However, Greek is not easy to learn without discipline and a real teacher!  A friend recommended the OMILO School, a school for foreigners to learn Greek. They have courses in Maroussi  (North Athens) for poeple like me and live all year in Athens, but they also have intensive courses on various islands in the holiday season.

Thanks to my extra lessons at the OMILO Greek Language School, I made rapid progress.  My Greek teachers were great and kept me motivated to keep speaking Greek  and using the grammar properly. Yes, grammar is important too, especially if you do not want to sound as a foreigner all your live!  We had a lot of fun in the class and learned from eachothers mistakes. And some mistakes you never forget!

The “stress–emphasis” is a very important aspect of the Greek language. In written Greek an accent is placed on every letter which is emphasised.Wrong use of the emphasis can create terrible (or funny) misunderstandings. A very good example is the word “malakά”, which means “soft”. If you put the emphasis in the wrong place than you would say “malάka”, which means as*****e ! Do I need to say more? Be careful…

Every now and then little mishaps can happen! One day one of my classmates bought feta cheese and said in her best Greek: “Miso kilo feta parakalo” (half a kilo feta cheese please). To the question of the salesperson “what type of feta would you like” (hard, soft,...) she answered convincingly: “Feta, malάka…!!! She got an enraged look at first … but, fortunately, she looks anything but Greek, and it was soon corrected with a smile...”Oxi koritsi mou, “malakί” feta theleis....” ( No, my dear, you want soft feta cheese...).

Why the “a” now changes into an “i” will be explained at the OMILO Greek Language school!

I am now at a very good level in Greek and feel so much better in this beautiful country. Only by speaking the language you also understand the Greek culture and mentality.I must say  I often felt irritated by words you would think they are more or less the same in all languages, as, for example “police”. If you thought  this was an international word, that definitely was before discovering the Greek language, as the Greek word for police is: “astynomia”!  Do you like fruit and especially kiwi’s ? Bad luck, cause in Greece nobody seems to know the word kiwi.... they call them “aktinidia”.  Learning the Greek vocabulary is a hard job!

Learning Greek is really fun and worth it. If you need help, do not hesitate to check the website of the OMILO Greek Language school.    The schoolyear just started...so as the Greeks so nicely say “Kali archi”! Good start!

Maaike Sel

OMILO Greek Language and Culture! New courses start from September 30th in Maroussi (North Athens) and intensive 1- and 2-week courses are possible in Athens, Syros, Nafplion, Syros, Lefkada and Andros.

www.omilo.com, info@omilo.com, www.facebook.com/omilohellas

Greek Holiday Baking
Baking is an important part of Greek cooking for Christmas. Bread is the most important of the Greek holiday foods. Historically, flour and yeast were scarce and expensive and thus saved for special meals. Traditional items, such as Christmas bread or stravropsomo, a fruit-filled loaf, decorated on top with the sign of the cross and Chistopsomto or “Christ’s Bread”, a leavened bread made of flour, sesame seeds, and spices, such as anise, orange, cloves, and cinnamon accompanied by dried figs, are eaten on Christmas Eve.

Other traditional Greek Christmas sweets include diples - fried dough strips dripped with honey, kourabiedes - holiday butter cookies, kataifi - phyllo-wrapped confections made from cinnamon and sugar and drizzled with honey, melomacrona - popular honey cakes, and the ever-popular sweet pastry, baklava.

Christ’s Bread
Greek Christmas celebrations begin on Christmas Eve with the breaking of Chistopsomto. The loaf is set on the table and surrounded with nuts, dried fruit, and other treats. The head of the household blesses the loaf and each person gets a  slice, drizzled with honey. Before anyone eats the bread, the group lifts the table slightly three times, signifying the Christian trinity. In some regions of Greece, an olive branch is inserted into the bread on end, like a tree, symbolizing peace. Other regions leave the first slice of the loaf outside the front door for the poor.

The Christmas Feast
The traditional Christmas Day feast is centered about either a turkey or goose, stuffed with a mixture of rice, pine nuts, chestnuts, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Roast pork with cabbage or cauliflower is another popular holiday choice, one that dates back to the early Christian era. Family is important in Greek culture and the Christmas meal is usually a large one, often featuring two or more main dishes. Side dishes, such as roast potatoes and grilled vegetables often accompany the meal.

Greek Holiday Food Symbols
Pomegranates, the bright red fruits indigenous to the Mediterranean, have been a symbol of prosperity since the days of the ancient Greeks. It is commonly used during the Christmas season, both as decoration and as food. Basil is also a Greek Christmas symbol. A sprig is traditionally wrapped around a cross and sprinkled with holy water each day during the season.

Regional Customs
Different regions throughout Greece have their own variations on holiday traditions. One such charming custom comes from the Greek region of Epirus; there, the Christmas bread is decorated with dough shapes representative of the family’s occupation, a shoe for a cobbler or a plow for a farmer. Additional small loaves, called kouloures, are made in celebration for the animals – donkeys, sheep, and goats – in this traditional rural area, and are broken up and given to the beasts as a symbol of good health for the coming year. Other figure eight shaped loaves, koliantines, are baked for the children, also as a symbol of health.

All in all, celebrating a Greek Christmas is about sharing the joy of the season with family and friends! Here are a some ideas on how to give your Christmas a Greek touch.

• Take the children to see Santa Claus (more commonly referred to in Greece as Saint Nicholas), who can often be found outside shopping areas giving treats to children.
  
  
• Expect neighborhood children to sing "kalanda" (Christmas carols) on Christmas Eve and offer their good wishes to you. Have dried figs, walnuts, almonds and - most important - coins on hand to offer the youngsters who come to your house.
  
  
• Prepare a holiday feast for Christmas Eve. Serve traditional foods and wine with baklava for dessert.
  
  
• Bake loaves of "Christopsomo" (Christ bread), a sweet bread formed into shapes of your choice. You can also decorate the loaves with symbols that reflect your family's trade. Serve the bread with dried figs.
  
  
• Display a wooden bowl with a piece of dangling wire holding a sprig of fresh basil wrapped around a wooden cross; this is the Greek symbol for Christmas. Keep fresh water in the bowl to keep the basil alive.
  
  
• Immerse the basil and cross in holy water once a day and sprinkle drops in every room of your house to keep the 'bad spirits' or 'killantzarin' away. These spirits are known to slide down the chimney between Christmas and Epiphany (January 6) and play mischievous pranks on your family.
  
  
• Remind your children to hang their socks over the fireplace, where small gifts will appear.
  
  
• Serve vasilopita, or Christmas cake, on December 31. Bake a florin (gold coin) into the cake. Whoever finds the coin in his or her piece of cake will have good luck in the coming year.
  
  
• Exchange gifts on January 1, which is St. Basil's Day. Also perform a renewal ceremony on this day by replacing all the water in your jugs with St. Basil holy water.