HOME •
GREECE •
DISCOVER •
GREEK ISLANDS •
Aegean Islands •
Chios •
Mastic Gum
MASTIC GUM & CHIOS
Apart from Great writers, maritime history, philosophers and a cultural heritage any island would be proud of. Chios also has another claim to fame, having always been one of the largest producers of 'mastic gum'.
In fact, the traditional villages on the island are known as 'Mastichochoria' which is a word derived from their production of Mastic.
The Mastic or Mastiha tree only grows in the South of Chios, islanders have tried to grow it in the North and it has been taken to other islands to be grown but to no avail.
This tree is used for its sap, it makes sweets, chewing gum and myro (used in the Greek Orthodox Churches.)
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.
Mastic Gum of Chios The island exports 150 tonnes of mastic all over the world each year. The resin from the mastic tree is a colourless thick goo, but it carries the most wonderful scent throughout the island.
For centuries mastic gum has been used by traditional healers to cure stomach upsets, duodenal ulcers, heartburn and mouth ulcers.
Columbus wrote of its antibacterial value and its use against cholera in the late 1400s and it is believed that it was used by the Greek physician, Hippocrates to treat ulcers.
 GREECE TOURS & TRAVEL
CHIOS HOTELS & RESORTS
HOME •
GREECE •
DISCOVER •
GREEK ISLANDS •
Aegean Islands •
Chios •
Mastic Gum
|
QUICK LINKS FOR GREECE TRAVEL:
|
GREECE HOTELS:
GREEK ISLANDS:
NORTH EAST AEGEAN:
Chios,
Ikaria,
Lesvos,
Samos,
|
GREECE TOURS & TRAVEL:
Athens & Greece Tours,
Corfu Tours,
Crete Tours,
Kos Tours,
Greece Holiday Packages,
Greek Island Cruises,
Travel Agents,
... see all Greece Tours & Travel,
|
DISCOVER GREECE:
GREEK ISLANDS:
NORTH EAST AEGEAN:
Chios,
Lesvos,
|
CHIOS:
Discover Chios,
Travel to Chios,
Volissos,
Christopher Columbus & Chios,
Mastic Gum & Chios,
|
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING SPECIFIC?
Search our websites with Google Search for a list of all results.
|
|
DISCOVER GREECE
GREECE TOURS & TRAVEL
