Book Description

The book attempts to document the apiculture activity and how it was practiced in the Byzantine world through the evidence of textual sources, iconography and excavation finds. The study expands chronologically from the 4th to the 15th century while geographically is focused to the peripheries of Greece, Asia Minor and South Italy. A particular chapter examines the rich apicultural tradition of medieval West in order to locate analogies or differences in comparison to the practices of Byzantium. Apprendices such as interesting passages from original texts related to the apiculture of that time, the beekeeping terminology and subject indexes are also attached. The vivid illustration as well as the presentation of data through plans and maps contributes greatly to the iconic presentation of activity.

Some of the most distinctive information include the praise of the bee by eminent prelates, the numerous and various applications of apicultural products in everyday life of the Byzantines, the diversity in shape and the material of the beehives attested (of clay, wood – planks, trunks, straw), the use of innovative –considering the time frame– equipment in the apicultural tasks such as the protective mask.