Chios is best known for the many mastic bushes that grow in the south of the island. These shrubs separate a resin which, for the arrival of petroleum-based products, were used as a raw material for, inter alia, paints, cosmetics and medicines. Now the mastic is mainly used for the production of chewing gum, liqueur and toothpaste. Mastic has a very distinctive "frisbitter" taste.
There are still about 20 traditional mastic villages in the south (mastichochoria) of which Pirgí is the most important and / or the capital. This village is distinguished from the other villages by the unique geometric motifs, the xystra. The walls of the houses are successively covered with black sand and white lime. Then the lime in geometric motifs is scraped off again. Mestá is, however, the best preserved mastic village with the most sights. It is one of the most beautiful castle villages of Chios and was built in Byzantine times. The village is built in a form of a labyrinth, with many blind alleys. In the past, people were so assured that intruders would get lost. Nowadays the village has two entrances and there is a map at the main entrance.
The north of Chios has bare rock massifs and therefore has an inhospitable appearance.
There are still about 20 traditional mastic villages in the south (mastichochoria) of which Pirgí is the most important and / or the capital. This village is distinguished from the other villages by the unique geometric motifs, the xystra. The walls of the houses are successively covered with black sand and white lime. Then the lime in geometric motifs is scraped off again. Mestá is, however, the best preserved mastic village with the most sights. It is one of the most beautiful castle villages of Chios and was built in Byzantine times. The village is built in a form of a labyrinth, with many blind alleys. In the past, people were so assured that intruders would get lost. Nowadays the village has two entrances and there is a map at the main entrance.
The north of Chios has bare rock massifs and therefore has an inhospitable appearance.
Analog photos from 1994 (digitized)