Culture
Culture
The History and How to of Komboloi, or “Greek Worry Beads”
The Komboloi, or worry beads, may be one of the most typical symbols of Greece's easy-going mentality that has been widely established both in Greece and Cyprus since the middle of the 20th century.
Yet, the history of the komboloi...
Culture
Smiling Virgin Mary Fresco at Cappadocia Monastery Puzzles Scientists
Scientists are debating if a fresco depicting a smiling Virgin Mary in the Gumusler Monastery in Turkey is original or the result of a restoration gone wrong.
Carved into a large rock mass in the Cappadocia region, the monastery is...
Culture
The Venizelos Mansion: The Oldest House in Athens is Also a Museum
Although the Greek capital of Athens is full of ancient monuments and temples, its oldest standing house, the Venizelos Mansion, dates to the 16th century.
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greek Lyres Make a Comeback in Thessaloniki
The ancient Greek lyre is on display to be seen and played at a unique interactive exhibition of ancient musical instruments in the heart of Thessaloniki.
Archaeology
The Magic of Creating Replicas of Ancient Greek Masterpieces
A workshop in Athens produces the only officially-certified replicas of ancient Greek masterpieces which are later sold at the country's archaeological sites, monuments, and museums.
The exact copies of the most iconic pieces of ancient Greek art are made by...
Ancient Greece
The Greek History of Truffles: It All Started With a Thunderbolt from Zeus
The history of truffles is one of folklore and intrigue, but very few people know of its links to the ancient Greek god Zeus. The pricey, much sought-after fungi has played a prominent role in Greece for its nutritional...
Culture
Ancient Marble Floors Damaged in Hagia Sophia
A number of tiles of the ancient marble floors in Hagia Sophia have been damaged by heavy machines used to clean the site, according to Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet.
The historic building, which was built as a church in the Byzantine...
Culture
Novels On Greece Let You Travel Without Leaving Your Chair
Reading authors who have written novels on Greece can send you on an adventure, without worry of tickets, time or Covid-19. If you CAN'T visit this summer, Greek Reporter has honed in on ten authors who make it easy to travel to Greece, to live the adventure, without leaving your chair.
Ancient Greece
Sex Strike: Why Ancient Greek Play Lysistrata is Trending in the US
The ancient Greek play, Lysistrata, became a trending topic in the US after protesters called for a sex strike in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Calls for a nationwide sex strike were gathering...
Ancient Greece
The Suda, The Byzantine Encyclopedia Written in the Year 1100
The Suda, the massive tome written by a Byzantine scholar around the year 1100, was one of the world's first encyclopedias and lexicons.
Created as both a syllabary of the Greek language and an overview of events in the known...
Ancient Greece
The Trojan War: History or Myth?
The Trojan War as described magnificently in Homer's Iliad is so vivid that is considered by many as historical fact and not an epic poem
Archaeology
The Ring of Legendary King Minos: A Tale of Intrigue and Deception
The story of the ring known as the "Ring of King Minos" sounds like a tale made in Hollywood. It is a mix of ancient Greek history, mythology, and a plot involving a poor boy, a cunning priest, an...
Culture
Zakynthos: the Unique History and Wildlife of the Ionian Island
Zakynthos is one of the most beautiful destinations Greece has to offer. Rich with history, this Ionian Sea island is famous for its beaches, especially Navagio Beach, known as "Shipwreck Beach," which has continuously ranked as one of the...
Culture
Rotunda in Thessaloniki: The Oldest Surviving Church in Greece
The Rotunda, built by Roman emperor Galerius in 306 AD, is the oldest of Thessaloniki's churches and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It was built at the turning point between the pagan and Christian world, probably as a temple for...
Ancient Greece
Hippocrates on Obesity and the Sedentary Life
Hippocrate of Kos (c. 460 – c. 370 BC), a physician of ancient Greece's Classical era, is considered to be the Father of Medicine. Hippocrates surprisingly suggested rather contemporary remedies for obesity, namely those of diet and exercise.
In addition to recognizing...