The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-10-02
Customs of tha C1nrIoies.


acquired from Turkey by England ac-
cording to the terms of the Berlin treaty.
the London Standard says: Many of the
customs of the Oypriotes are governed
by the rules of the Roman ana Greek
churches, and even up to the present
day the Greeks Of the island Intervene
with their Mariolatry various super
stitions, the origin of which may be
traced to the old rites of Aphrodite.
AS, for example, the custom of offering
doves to the priests. Out of q popula-
tion of about $50, 900 inhabitants. about
two-thirds are Christian, and rather less
than one-third Mohammedan. The lat
ter, of course, scrupulously adhere TO
the precepts of the Koran, and in the
study of this, their sacred volume. find
reason for those customs which have n
religious character. Thus, at the birth
OF male child little salt is put into
its mouth, and few words are repeated
from the Koran, the meaning OF which
is: May the blessing of thy existence
render dear to thee the name of God, to
whom thou oughtest always to give
glory"
For eight days, Mariti tells us, pre-.
oeding thu ceremony Of circumcision.
the family hold a grand festival, when
they indulge in every kind of pleasure.
and give balls and various kinds of en-.
tertainments, at which all their relatives
and friends are invited. When the
eventful day arrives the child is clothed
in the richest attire, and is conducted
through the street on horse most gaud.
lily caparisoned, the standard of Moham-
med being carried before it. A band of
musicians follow, and the friends and
relatives close the procession. On
reaching the mosque the people engage
in prayer, and the ceremony itself is per
formed amid universal rejoicing.
Their marriage customs are similar
to those practiced generally by the
Turks. A wife, we are told, mays de-
mand divorce if her husband does
not give her enough to eat, refuses her
money to go to the bath with, or absents
himself from her. Female slaves are
only allowed to claim separation on the
ground OF deprivation OF the common
necessaries of life. The women, Mari
tt narrates, are guarded with every pos
sible strictness before marriage. Their
lovers often indulge in all kinds of ex-
travagances, such as passing twenty
times day before their windows, and,
III order to attract their attention and
excite their sympathy, they publicly
wound themselves with the poignard
they carry as a token of their devotion.
Referring to the burial customs of the
Cypriotes, we may mention that Gen.
Cesnola found in tomb in Alambra.
which. .is about twenty minutes ride west
OF Dali, some little figures, which he
considers to be purposely placed there
to indicate the profession or the sex of
the person buried. These consisted of
models after the image of the Cyprian
Venus, in the earliest style of art, horse
men, warriors with shields, and chariots
containing men and women. There
were also spear-heads, daggers, knives,
hatchets, mirrors, needles and circular
bowls.
Speaking in another place of their
ancient modes of sepulture, he tells us
that the depth of the tombs averaged
from only five to eight feet; they were
all of one shape, and measured about
eight feet in diameter. Moistened clay,
mixed with triturated straw, was used
to consolidate the walls and root of the
cavity, so as to prevent the earth from
falling in. A platform made of sun
dried bricks was then built round its
inner base, upon which the dead were
placed, with their heads turned in the
direction of the entrance, In some
cases reversed plate, made of earthen-
ware, was placed under the head
evidently meant as a pillow. The
Cypriotes are not without their super
stltionB, In some parts NAV he found
the Lgnun1 Cyl0rinuni, called also the
rosewood, from which they obtain fine
perfumed oil; this, and the wood too,
they believe fortifes the heart and
brain. The common people cut off the
wood and bark together, toast it in the
fire, and then suck it, as it is regarded
as sovereign specific against fever,
and is supposed to have miraculous
effect.
Among the venomous animals there
is serpent which the Greeks call ko-
phias, from notion that it is deaf but
this, says Mariti, is by no means the
case, for the mowers drive it away by
little bells, which they fasten to their
scythes. There is Greek family in
which the power of curing the person
bitten is said to be hereditary. The
plant ladany (the Cistus LedO,a) is be-
ieved to have magical properties. The
peasantry carry it in their hands and
smell it, under a notion that this will
serve as a charm against the plague.
The smoke of it, too, is considered good
for the eyes.
African explorers will probably ride