793LANGUAGEGLOSSARYdesigns; sometimes referred
to as Greece’s dark age
GNTO – Greek National
Tourist Organisation; see
also EOT
Hellas – the Greek name
for Greece; also known as
Ellada or Ellas
Hellenistic period – pros-
perous, influential period
(323–146 BC) of Greek
civilisation ushered in by Al-
exander the Great’s empire-
building and lasting until the
Roman sacking of Corinth
hora – main town, usually
on an island
horio – village
Ionic – order of Greek archi-
tecture characterised by a
column with truncated flutes
and capitals with ornaments
resembling scrolls; see also
Doric and Corinthian
kastro – walled-in town;
also describes a fortress or
castle
katholikon – principal
church of a monastic
complex
kore – female statue of the
Archaic period; see also kouros
kouros (s), kouroi (pl) –
male statue of the Archaic pe-
riod, characterised by a stiff
body posture and enigmatic
smile; see also kore
kri-kri – endemic Cretan
animal with large horns
similar to a wild goat; also
known as the agrimi
KTEL – Koino Tamio Eis-
praxeon Leoforion; national
bus cooperative, which
runs all long-distance bus
services
laïka – literally ‘popular
(songs)’; mainstream
songs that have either been
around for years or are of
recent origin; also referred
to as urban folk music
leoforos – avenue; com-
monly shortened to ‘leof’
libation – in ancient Greece,
wine or food that was of-
fered to the gods
limenarhio – port police
Linear A – Minoan script; so
far undeciphered
Linear B – Mycenaean
script; has been deciphered
lyra – small violin-like in-
strument or lyre, played on
the knee; common in Cretan
and Pontian musicmegaron – central room
or quarters of a Mycenaean
palace
meltemi – dry northerly wind
that blows throughout much
of Greece in the summer
mezedhopoleio – restaurant
specialising in mezedhes
Middle Age – see Archaic
period
Minoan civilisation –
Bronze Age (3000–1200
BC) culture of Crete named
after the mythical King
Minos, and characterised
by pottery and metalwork
of great beauty and artisan-
ship; it has three periods:
Protopalatial (3400–2100
BC), Neopalatial (2100–
1580 BC) and Postpalatial
(1580–1200 BC)
moni – monastery or
convent
Mycenaean civilisation –
first great civilisation
(1600–1100 BC) of the
Greek mainland, character-
ised by powerful independ-
ent city-states ruled by
kings; also known as the
Achaean civilisationNew Democracy – Nea
Dimodratia; conservative
political party
necropolis – literally ‘city of
the dead’; ancient cemetery
nisi – island
nymphaeum – in ancient
Greece, building containing
a fountain and often dedi-
cated to nymphsodeion – ancient Greek
indoor theatre
odos – street
OSE – Organismos Sidiro-
dromon Ellados; the name
of Greek Railways Organi-
sationouzerie – place that serves
ouzo and light snacks
OTE – Organismos Ti-
lepikoinonion Ellados;
Greece’s major telecommu-
nications carrierPanagia – Mother of God
or Virgin Mary; name fre-
quently used for churches
paralia – waterfront
panigyri (s), panigyria (p)- festival; the most common
festivals celebrate annual
saints’ days
pediment – triangular sec-
tion, often filled with sculp-
ture above the columns,
found at the front and back
of a classical Greek temple
periptero (s), periptera
(pl) – street kiosk
peristyle – columns sur-
rounding a building, usually
a temple or courtyard
plateia – square
pithos (s), pithoi (pl) –
large Minoan storage jar
or urn
propylon (s), propylaia
(pl) – elaborately built
main entrance to an an-
cient city or sanctuary; a
propylon had one gateway
and a propylaia more than
one
prytaneion – the adminis-
trative centre of the city-
state
rembetika – blues songs,
commonly associated with
the underworld of the 1920s
rhyton – another name for
a libation vessel
rizitika – traditional, patri-
otic songs of western CreteSarakatsani – Greek-
speaking nomadic shepherd
community from northern
Greece
stele (s), stelae (pl) –
upright stone (or pillar)
decorated with inscriptions
or figures
stoa – long colonnaded
building, usually in an agora;
used as a meeting place and
shelter in ancient Greece