Mitato
Encyclopedia
Mitato is a term meaning "shelter" or "lodging" in Greek.
Appearing in the 6th century, during the Byzantine
period it referred to an inn
or trading house for foreign merchants, akin to a caravanserai
. By extension, it could also refer to the legal obligation of a private citizen to billet state officials or soldiers. Alternatively, in the 10th century, Constantine Porphyrogenitus uses the term to refer to state-run ranches in Anatolia
.
In modern Greece, and especially on the mountains of Crete
, a mitato (in the plural mitata) is a hut built from locally-gathered stones to provide shelter to shepherds, and is used also for cheese-making. Mount Ida
(also called Mount Psiloritis) in central Crete is particularly rich in flat stones suitable for dry stone construction.
Appearing in the 6th century, during the Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
period it referred to an inn
INN
InterNetNews is a Usenet news server package, originally released by Rich Salz in 1991, and presented at the Summer 1992 USENIX conference in San Antonio, Texas...
or trading house for foreign merchants, akin to a caravanserai
Caravanserai
A caravanserai, or khan, also known as caravansary, caravansera, or caravansara in English was a roadside inn where travelers could rest and recover from the day's journey...
. By extension, it could also refer to the legal obligation of a private citizen to billet state officials or soldiers. Alternatively, in the 10th century, Constantine Porphyrogenitus uses the term to refer to state-run ranches in Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
.
In modern Greece, and especially on the mountains of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, a mitato (in the plural mitata) is a hut built from locally-gathered stones to provide shelter to shepherds, and is used also for cheese-making. Mount Ida
Mount Ida
In Greek mythology, two sacred mountains are called Mount Ida, the "Mountain of the Goddess": Mount Ida in Crete; and Mount Ida in the ancient Troad region of western Anatolia which was also known as the Phrygian Ida in classical antiquity and is the mountain that is mentioned in the Iliad of...
(also called Mount Psiloritis) in central Crete is particularly rich in flat stones suitable for dry stone construction.