Vovousa

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Vovousa
Βοβούσα, Βωβούσα
Bãiasa
Municipal unit
View of Vovousa
View of Vovousa
Location within the regional unit
Location within the regional unit
Vovousa is located in Greece
Vovousa
Vovousa
Coordinates: 39°56′N 21°03′E / 39.933°N 21.050°E / 39.933; 21.050
CountryGreece
Administrative regionEpirus
Regional unitIoannina
MunicipalityZagori
Area
 • Municipal unit51.029 km2 (19.702 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Municipal unit
132
 • Municipal unit density2.59/km2 (6.70/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Vehicle registrationΙΝ

Vovousa (Greek: Βοβούσα or Βωβούσα; Aromanian: Bãiasa)[2] is a village and a former community in the Ioannina regional unit, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Zagori, of which it is a municipal unit.[3] The municipal unit has an area of 51.029 km2.[4] It is one of the original Zagori villages.[5] Population 132 (2021).[1]

Name

The names of the river Vjosa and village are intertwined.[6] The river in Greek is known as Vovousa by the village of Vovousa and the surrounding area, while in Aromanian both are called Băiasa.[6] Aoos, the ancient name of the river, was preserved in the subsequent forms Voosa and Vovousa.[2] These forms maintained the f sound of the mainland Doric Greek dialect in the toponym, or later developed a dentolabial v between vowels, influenced by the Albanian article.[2]

The historian Gottfried Schramm described the Albanian Vjosë, and the Albanian prepositional forms vijosje/vijosja 'trench', as the basis for the Serbo-Croatian Vajusa and Vojuša.[2] He wrote one of the unstressed a or o forms in these names led to the Aromanian unstressed a, which ultimately formed the name Băiasa.[2] The linguist Kostas Oikonomou stated the toponym was formed in Aromanian from bă ĭasă 'lake, marsh' and derived from the noun baie meaning 'bath, mine' and the suffix -(i)oasă, linked to the Slavic banja and Latin balneum 'bath'.[7]

Geography

Vovousa is located on the river Vjosa and is one of the easternmost villages of Zagori. It is also located near the National Park of Valia Kalda (Valea Caldă in Aromanian/ Romanian, meaning „warm valley”). The single-arched stone bridge of Misios was built in 1748 with a donation by Alexis Mitsios from Vitsa.[8]

History

Vovousa was considered among the largest villages in Zagori.[9] Most of its inhabitants moved in the 19th century to the vicinity of Serres in Macedonia.[9] The village was burnt by the Germans on 23 October 1943.[10]

Demographics

Vovousa has an Aromanian population and is an Aromanian speaking village.[11][12] In the early 21st century, elderly people were bilingual in the community language and Greek, whereas younger residents under 40 might have understood the community language but did not use it.[13] Some Sarakatsani settled in the village during the early 20th century.[12] The Sarakatsani are Greek speakers.[14]

References

  1. "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
  2. Oikonomou 2002, p. 59.
  3. "ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
  4. "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece.
  5. A. Kathareios (Inspector of the 1st educational region of Epirus) Report of Inspection of Zagorohoria in 1913
  6. Oikonomou 2002, pp. 59, 208.
  7. Oikonomou 2002, p. 208.
  8. Βασίλης Μηνακάκης (2006). Ζαγοροχώρια. Explorer. p. 139. It is also located near the National Park of Valia Kalda. The single-arched stone bridge of Mitsios was built in 1748 with a donation by Alexis Mitsios from Vitsa
  9. Λαμπρίδης Ιωάννης "Ζαγοριακά", Τυπογραφείον Αυγής, Αθήνα, 1870
  10. Βασίλης Μηνακάκης (2006). Ζαγοροχώρια. Explorer. p. 139. The village was burnt by the Germans on 23 October 1943
  11. Oikonomou 2002, pp. 2, 58.
  12. Kahl 1999, p. 106: "Vovúsa: aromunische Zagorisier, einige Familien Sarakatschanen seit Anfang des 20. Jh.s im Ort seßhaft"
  13. Oikonomou, Kostas E. (2002). Τα οικωνύμια του νομού Ιωαννίνων. Γλωσσολογική εξέταση [The oikonyms of the prefecture of Ioannina. A linguistic examination] (PDF) (in Greek). Nomarchiaki Aftodioikisi Ioanninon. pp. 2–3. ISBN 9789608316010. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 November 2024.
  14. Kahl, Thede (1999). "Die Zagóri-Dörfer in Nordgriechenland: Wirtschaftliche Einheit – ethnische Vielfalt" [The Zagóri Villages in Northern Greece: Economic Unity – Ethnic Diversity]. Ethnologia Balkanica (in German). 3: 114.