Overview
Language:
Language is one of the most important elements in the Greek culture. Modern Greek language is a descendant of the Ancient Greek language and is affiliated to the part of the Greek or Hellenic branch of Indo-European. The first written Greek was found on baked mud tablets, in the remains of the Knossos Palace of Crete island. Linear A and Linear B are the two most ancient types of written language in Greece.
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Geography:
Geographically Greece is a mountainous peninsula surrounded by water. Due to the 13,676 km of coastline and the 2,000 Greek islands, of which only 168 are inhabited, the Greeks developed since the ancient times a strong connection with the sea. This is why the Greeks have a long tradition in navigation, ship building and marine trade, which led to interconnection with other people. As the country is located on the corner spot between Europe, Asia and Africa, the Greek culture is actually a mixture of European and Eastern Asia & Africa.
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TRaditions & CUSTOMS!
In ancient Egypt there are multiple traditions and customs that have been used! Traditions in Greece and Greek Islands either have a religious character or come from paganism. Furthermore, most of the traditions and festivals still followed and celebrated today are religious. That is why so many panygiria are organized in the country, which are actually religious celebrations of saints followed by traditional music and dance in the square of the village. These panigiria are a strong element of the Greek culture and take place all year round, especially in summer.
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Religion:
Religion plays an important role in the understanding of ancient greek culture. The 98% of the Greeks are Christians Orthodox. The rest of the population are Muslims, Roman Catholics and Jewish. Greece and Russia are the only countries to have such a big proportion of Christians Orthodox. The Orthodox Church forms the third largest branch of Christianity, after the Roman Catholics and the Protestants.
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Music:Ancient Greece worked incredibly hard on making it's misc perfect, and indeed it was! Ancient Greek music was really beautiful! This music is really nice because it incorporates western culture and eastern culture!Music in Greece has a long history dating from the ancient times, during which poetry, dancing and music were inseparable and played an important part in the ancient Greek everyday life and culture.
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FOOD & Wine:
The food in ancient Greece was very interesting!!! The Greek cuisine is famous for its quality products and the amazing taste of its food and wines. Some dishes are the same everywhere in Greece, whereas some others are local culinary specialties. The same dishes can be cooked differently or with different ingredients depending on the region. Food is an important part of the Greek culture. Lots of food in Greece was made out of ingredients from the sea, because Greece was so close to the ocean! Wine was the main source of drink because milk was considered "barbaric". Fish was also the main protein since they are by the sea and beef was extremely expensive. The Greeks did not have any eating utensils. They are with their hands or with bread. Bread was often used to scoop out thick soups. It was also used as a napkin to clean hands. After being used as a napkin, the bread was then thrown on the floor for the dogs or slaves to clean up at a later time. |
Products:
There are multiple products that had multiple uses in ancient Greece. Many products are characteristic of Greece, including various types of cheese (feta, metsovone and formaella), virgin olive oil from Lesvos, Crete and Laconia, capper from Santorini, potatoes from Naxos, citrus fruits from Peloponnese and others like honey, wine, spices, nutes and more. These fresh items are widely used in cooking and constitute strong elements of the local culture.
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Recipes:
Traditional recipes of Greece are usually easy but need special products that are grown in the Greek land. Baklava, moussaka, pastichio, gemista and kleftiko are the most famous Greek recipes. The Greek cuisine, a characteristic element of the culture, has been largely influenced by the French, Italian and Turkish cuisine.
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Churches:
You can see a church in almost every plot of land in Greece and around all the Greek islands. In fact, churches often are in the most bizarre spots, even inside caves and gorges. These churches vary in size and style. The town squares usually have large churches, while the countryside is dotted with small, lovely chapels. The style is mainly Byzantine, while in the Cyclades islands most churches are painted in white and blue. The evolution in the style of churches is a characteristic feature of the culture.
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MUSEUMS:
There are many museums around Greece that mostly host archaeological findings or folk items. The most interesting are the archaeological museums, that host exhibits from the prehistoric till the Roman times in our opinion. The New Acropolis Museum, the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, the Archaeological Museum of Olympia and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum are greek for understanding more on the greek culture! Occasionally, there are also some theme museums around the country to present the local culture and history.
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Architecture:
Festivals:
Most festivals in Greece take place in summer. They can be religious festivals (panigiri) on the occasion of the name day of the protector saint in a village or town, or they can also be cultural festivals. Many cultural events take place in Greece all year round. Particularly famous is the Athens Epidaurus Greek Festival, with events in the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, the Herodeion Theatre in Athens and other venues. Such festivals with music concerts, theatre performances, lectures and custom revivals take place in all Greek islands and towns, usually in summer, presenting the local culture and occasionally hosting international participation.
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Nightlife:
Nights in Greece are a delight. A summer night out usually starts with a dinner at the many taverns and restaurants in the Greek islands and continue with a soft drink in a lounge bar or with a party. It is almost part of the Greek culture to have dinner in a traditional tavern during holidays. Some places known for their nightlife are Mykonos, Crete, Kos, Rhodes and more.
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Cafe:
Going out for a coffee is a special habitude for the Greeks, a strong part of their culture. The average coffee meeting for a Greek is about 1 and half hour. The Greeks get together over a coffee and chat loudly. In the village squares, you will see the traditional type of cafeteria in Greece, the kafenion. Mostly old men go there to drink their traditional Greek coffee, chat and play cards.
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Art
Paintings in Ancient Greece were highly regarded in Greece, but none of it
has survived. Archaeologists now have to study the vases from Ancient Greece to pass judgement on ancient painting. Sculpture-wise, Greek sculptors looked to Egypt for inspiration, especially the statues of the pharaohs. Because of this, the early figures, kouroi, are very stiff with the eyes looking ahead. In the sixth century the sculptors carved the human body in much more realistic, but also idealized, poses. Sculptors found models in the nude athletes ho were in the peak of physical fitness and attributed poise and serenity to them. |