Tag Archives: Map

Kosta’s Map

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I love speaking with the villagers in Sparta. They know their land with a level of intimacy that astonishes me:  every hiding place in the Taygetos mountains, every olive tree on their land, every goat trail that leads to an abandoned kalivia (shepherd’s hut), and the origins of every family in the village. Last summer, simply by hearing the surname, Christos told me that my great-grandfather, Andreas Kostakos, was from the now-abandoned village of Perganteika (read that post here).

The Kostakos family origins have mystified me for years and have morphed into my never-ending quest. The -akos suffix designates the Mani region, but I can’t find the family in any records outside of the Sparta area before 1844. The reason? Greece became an independent country on February 3,1830, after 400 years of Ottoman rule. It took time for the new government to begin record keeping; not much exists prior to 1840. Thus, all Greeks have the proverbial brick-wall during this timeframe.

Christos’ insistence that the Kostakos family was first in Perganteika, then in Anavryti, then in Agios Ioannis after the War of Independence (about 1835-40) has not satisfied my desire for proof. (An elusive commodity in Greek research). So, I pester anyone whom I meet with many questions. In return, I get bits and pieces, and sometimes a treasure like the one below (click on image to enlarge it).

Last July at the home of Peter Adamis in Pellana, I received an exensive history-geography lesson from Peter’s friend, Kostas Sgourdas. A native of the area and a renowned stone and marble mason, Kosta’s artisan work is found in government buildings, churches and homes throughout Lakonia. He has a comprehensive knowledge of the region and its people. And he shared much with me.

Kosta explained what I heard many times:  people fled to the towering Taygetos mountains to escape Ottoman dominion; after 1830 they started their descent into the valleys to begin a life of freedom. Kosta patiently and carefully sketched the map above to depict “layers of villages,” beginning at the top of the Taygetos range and descending into the plains of Sparta. I could now plainly see how the villages were staggered and, at times, stacked upon each other. As his pen moved down the page, I could almost visualize people moving down, incrementally, from the peaks. It was a logical movement of humanity and a powerful moment of clarity.

Kosta’s stories mesmerized me. These people–my people–were resilient, tough, inventive, smart, and scrappy survivors. The more I hear about village life in the 1800’s, the more I want to learn. I love Kosta’s map. It has not solved the Kostakos origin mystery, but it has enhanced my understanding. My respect for my ancestors grows with each fact I learn, and I am proud to be their descendant.

1890 Linguistic Map of the Peloponnese

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A recent discussion on the Facebook page, HellenicGenealogyGeek, centered around the various ethnic groups that populated the Peloponnese in the late 1800’s. My friend and historian, Giannis Michalakakos, posted this map which shows the areas where various languages and dialects were spoken.

1890 Linguistic Map of the Peloponnese

1890 Linguistic Map of the Peloponnese by Alfred Philippson

In a subsequent telephone conversation, Giannis told me many interesting facts. Alfred Philippson was a German geologist who took yearly journeys through various areas of Greece and Asia Minor to study geology. His maps provided valuable information not readily found during that time frame. In the Peloponnese, he visited many ancient sites such as Olympia and Mistras. More information about Philippson can be found on Wikipedia here.

Giannis explained the various colors on the map:
–  Purple:  Greek language
– Blue:  Tsakonian dialect, one of the oldest in Greece (more here)
– Rose:  Arvanitika, spoken by people of northern Epirus and Albania who migrated and settled in several areas, most notably around Corinth. This language is a mixture of Albanian and Greek. Those who speak this language call themselves Greek Arvanites  to distinguish themselves as Greek rather than Albanian (more here).
– Darker Rose:  Mixed Greek and Arvanitika.
– Pale Rose: Also Greek and Arvanitika.
– Yellow lines:   denote areas where the Slavic population existed during the years 800-1200.

This map intrigued me for several reasons. First, it is a visual depiction of the major ethnicities populating this area after the Revolution of 1821. Second, it helps me understand the various dialects which continue to exist to this day, particularly in the less-accessible mountainous regions.

But the third reason is the most profound one for me, personally. I have taken DNA tests which show my ethnicity to be:
68% Italy/Greece
20% Caucasus
9% Eastern Europe
2% Western Europe
less than 1% Jewish

Ethnicity map

Science doesn’t lie! I am a mixture of many ethnicities. What Philippson’s map reveals is just because I am a mix, that does not mean that my ancestors came from all of these various countries. Some or all of them could have lived in the Peloponnese for many generations, yet intermarried with people from other cultures.

It is an eye-opening and fascinating perspective of who they were; and consequently, who I am.

I express my deepest appreciation to Giannis for his patience in teaching me and expanding my horizon of knowledge. In his blog, Maniatika, Giannis posted Philippson’s map and included an in-depth description of it written by Elli Skopeteas. That Maniatika article can be found here.