|
Kayaköy
(Levissi) was named as Karmylasos during the antique Lycian
period. Levissi is at a distance of 8 kms. from Megri, separated
from the sea by a low range of hills, but the coastline called Vai
or Doyuncak is located at a distance of 1.5 kms.
Most of the houses at Levissi are built on one story, with a
few of them in two stories. Generally the houses do not have tiled
roofs. Almost all the houses have cellars where the household
items and fodder were stored. Since there was no running water,
every house possessed a cistern where rain water was collected and
used for cleaning. There were also water wells at the plains of
Levissi. However, drinking water was supplied by the two fountains
in the village.
The houses were built with a material called Argilo,
which was a mixture of stones, lime and clay. In holes called
Stunbo, which were 70 m. long and 30 m. deep, the Argilo
mixed with lime became more durable than cement. The buildings
still standing today prove the durability of this mixture. Except
for a few houses, the ones without tiled roofs had a column built
in the middle of the building called the foundation column which
was then planked with wood. The wood was subsequently covered with
soil of light, easily disintegrable stones which was watered and
compressed with a stone roller. The roof thus became waterproof
and the rainwater flowing down was collected in cisterns by way of
a pipe or a channel.
The toilettes were built outside the houses with simple
elements and the holes dug underneath were used as cesspools which
had holes on the side facing the street to be cleaned out by heavy
rainfalls.
 On
the basis of a population census in 1912, there were 6500 Greeks
and Turks living in two districts at Levissi. The Greeks had a a
Council of Elders, elected for a period of three years, for the
purpose of resolving matters such as education, marriages,
divorces and formalities involved in case of death, without taking
them to the Turkish courts and judges. Fıor educational purposes,
boys attended the primary school above the large church called
Taksiyaris while the girls went to the primary school at the
skirts of the citadel in the Aya Yorgi district. Boys and girls
were taught in separate schools.
At Levissi, the summer coffeehouse at
Üç Kavak and the coffeehouses near the Taksiyarhis Chruch were
very lively. The shops near these coffeehouses sold mainly
foofstuffs. In addition to butchers, greengrocers and grocery
stores, there were shops selling drapery. There were no shops for
copperware and tinkers, but tradesmen in these fields visited the
Turkish villalges to perform their work. The people in Levissi
were generally involved in trade.
The Levissi Plain of 5000 square meters was very green, covered with
vineyards, and as it was surrounded by hills, the rainwater
collected here. A small stream flowing down in winters from the
neighbouring Ovacık Village watered the Levissi Plain, forming a
small lake at the foot of the Belen Village.
The Turks grew tobacco, chick-peas, figs and plums while the
Greeks cultivated various fruits, primarily figs and grapes, and
produced wine, jams and molasses from the yield of the vineyards.
Wine was not consumed much but raki wass a most popular drink. The
figs ripened on the trees and those that fell off were collected
from the ground. A good quality raki was made from smaller,
cracked figs.
Since all the houses had ovens for make bread with sour
yeast, there were no bakeries selling bread at Levissi. The
butchers sold meat butchered daily, therefore there was no need
for refrigerators. Sheep and goats were not butchered before they
were six months old. The meat consumed were mostly from sheep,
goats and oxen. However, the Turks hunted wild boars because they
destroyed their sown fields, which were then presented as gifts to
their Greek neighbours.
Meanwhile, the long prickles of the hunted porcupines were
used as needles by women in their embroidery. The Greek women wove
silk or other cloths at the looms in their houses. The dowry of
the girls was mostly made of silk. The material woven with great
care was sometimes sold to others.
The clothes worn by Greeks living at Levissi were similar to those
at Cyprus and the twelve islands. The men wore short baggy
trousers which looked like long underpants, and embroidered vests
over their shirts, a fez on their heads wrapped with a
handkerchief. The young Greek boys carried silk handkerchieves.
The outfit of the women reflected the economical status of the
family, comprising generally of a coat embroidered with gilded
silver thread, a silk dress, a necktie with a golden button and a
golden necklace or an ornamental coin worth five Turkish gold
pounds. The shoes were low-heeled. For jewellry, they wore rings,
bracelets and earrrings.
Marriages among youngsters were arranged by matchmakers.
The decision was for marriage was taken by the elders of the
family and parents. When the mutually favourable decisison was
reached, dowry was discussed and a day for the wedding was set.
After this matter was resolved, the prospective groom presented
the bride-to-be with a gold coin and a handkerchief symbolising
the union, instead of the Turkish custom of giving a ring.
In a square named Çakır’ın Tarlası the youngsters
wrestled every Friday. Contestants from the upper, middle and
lower districts participated in these matches. At tournaments the
wrestlers were chosen who would participate only for fame and
honour and there were no financial awards and bets involved.
Therefore, sometimes fights would ensue among wrestlers who could
not stomach being defeated, which would be resolved by the elders.
 Levissi
was cool and breezy during the summer months and therefore the
residents of Megri would move here to escape the humid and hot
weather. The Greeks and the Turks at Levissi and Megri took their
baths in washtubs at their houses and therefore there was only one
public bath at Megri.
The Turks and Greeks, contributing jointly to the
economical and cultural wealth at Levissi and Megri were greatly
affected by the population exchange which took place in December,
1922. Pursuant to comprehensive and tearful immigration from
Fethiye (Megri) , 88 Greek families, together with a further 6
from Izmır, were settled at Simokeriza in Greece, which was later
renamed as Nea-Makri, in November, 1923, to till the land. Turks
from Greece and various islands were brought in to the motherland
as Mübadil. Like the Greeks, the Turks were also greatly
affected by the immigration, carrying their pain and memories
along. |
