Your first sight of komboloi may be in a blur of beads as you see them furiously worked by a nervous Greek passenger in the next seat as the plane starts to descend. You may catch sight of them as you race past an airport souvenir stand, where they dangle by the dozens. Once you touch them, and feel the smooth beads sliding through your fingers, you may find yourself hooked. Like most Greek folk art, the history of komboloi is confused. Some claim that they are a recent addition to mainland Greek culture, arriving only seventy or eighty years ago and then achieving a fashionable status. Or that they are a mimicry of Turkish prayer bead strands, adopted by persecuted Greeks to mock their captors (under their domination for 400 years). Still another theory suggests that the Turkish conquerors forbade their Greek subjects to shake hands, and the beads were introduced as a way of reminding Greeks to not shake hands. Others assert, probably more rightly, that they are derived from the knotted prayer strands (komboskini) used by Greek Orthodox monks. As the word komboloi means "group of knots", this may be the true origin.
Until recently, komboloi were the special province of men, and were rarely seen in the hands of women. Melina Mercouri was an exception, often handling a silver strand in public as she fought for recognition of Greece's cultural sovereignty.
Set upon an English Britania, as the Brits are accused of raping Greek treasures.
Hi In Transit, I love the quality of your image. Sharp as a tack, with all kinds of reflections and highlights captured even on wood. Great "About" area. If you like things that are Greek there's a recent book about a Greek Canadian from Montreal (that's where you are from correct?) who moved to the island and tried to set up shop there. The title is: Crete on the half shell.
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