Renowned for its expansive sapphire seas that inspired the film ‘The Big Blue’, Amorgos emerges as a modest yet captivating destination, shimmering in its unrefined elegance, steeped in timeless history. The island’s moniker is believed to have been inspired by ‘amorgis‘, a flax variant utilised in crafting “alikoi amorgides”, the delicate Amorgian shirts celebrated since the classical era.

18

The island also yields the celebrated local fava, baked raki, traditional pasteli, and is steeped in traditions of animal husbandry and apiculture. Above all, it is a botanical Eden teeming with extraordinary biodiversity. Despite its compact size, this island is a sanctuary to 10 unique endemic species.

Vaggelis Vassalos, a holistic physiotherapist with a specialisation in traditional Chinese medicine and herbal therapies, spent his youth in these idyllic surroundings. He learned the rudiments in an era when plant life permeated every sphere of existence – from nutrition to household chores and, predominantly, for medicinal purposes.

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Photo: Vaggelis Vassalos
Photo: Vaggelis Vassalos

Vaggelis recalls with clarity his aunt, a midwife and de facto doctor across Amorgos and nearby islands, treating his burns after he toppled into a cauldron of scalding water as a child. The treatment involved balms and oils crafted from herbs like calendula. Balsam oil and mastic oil, even more prevalent on the island for burn treatment, had a vital role. Through processing the fruit of the mastic tree (a kin to the famed Chios mastic tree), they produced healing tinctures and ointments. The concoction also included the root of an asphodel plant, the tubers of which bear a striking resemblance to small carrots, and were once eaten or ground into flour.

The herbalist tells us that this compact island is home to 800 species of plants. This diversity, abundance and quality are a product of several contributing factors. The unique microclimate, fostered by the geology, geography, and geomagnetism, favours the plants, making them more tenacious and resilient in their harsh environment. The island’s dramatic geomorphology, characterised by mountains, gorges, hills and valleys, further enhances this. The robust will to survive and thrive means families of varied species spring up on vertical limestone and granite rocks. The island flourishes with copious amounts of wild oregano, sage, thyme, and summer savory, to name just a few known aromatic plants.

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Helichrysum/Photo: Vaggelis Vassalos
Helichrysum/Photo: Vaggelis Vassalos

This island serves as a treasure trove of distinct flora, such as the six types of Helichrysum, including the endemic Helichrysum amorginum, which is currently under experimental cultivation. Two of these are typically nestled on sheer cliffs, necessitating a fair bit of climbing. The local endemic species, with its pristine white flowers and status as an endangered species, can exclusively be found at the Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa. This location, chosen by the herb as its solitary global habitat, is truly singular. This herb, revered for its potent anti-inflammatory and calming properties, functions as a robust cellular function revitaliser.

After years living across Greece and overseas, Vaggelis returned to Aegiali on Amorgos, as the island and nature’s call were always his muse and inspiration. In his therapeutic practice, he sought to integrate phytotherapy, drawing upon the island’s rich ethnobotanical heritage. Hence, he established “Iama Herbs and Treatments“, an accessible establishment comprising an aromatic herb processing laboratory, an exhibition area, and a treatment room.

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Photo: Vaggelis Vassalos
Photo: Vaggelis Vassalos

One of the herbs Vaggelis is eager to spotlight, which flourishes in Aegiali, is Artemisia, specifically Artemisia arborescens. It aids in diabetes management, and even in addressing stubborn allergies. It’s applied topically to bruises, either as an essential oil or as a poultice crafted with the macerated leaves of the plant. It possesses anti-inflammatory, bacteriostatic, and microbicidal properties, crucial for tackling intestinal parasites in humans and animals. Artemisia vulgaris is also harnessed in Chinese medicine, as the plant is thought to generate sun-like heat, thus being used to produce the well-known ‘moxa’ utilised in massage therapies. Artemisia annua, native to Africa, is recognised as the ultimate remedy for malaria worldwide.

Artemisia absinthium, commonly referred to as wormwood, is perhaps most famous for its use in absinthe liqueur, due to its extensive employment by poets and artists of yesteryear. A distinct species within the family with mild psychoactive properties, it impacts the nervous system and physiology. The dosage, as with any herb, is paramount to ensure the threshold of benefit is not surpassed. Simultaneously, this particular plant is intensely bitter, limiting its usage.

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Balsam Plant/Photo: Vaggelis Vassalos
Calendula/Photo: Vaggelis Vassalos

Our dialogue meanders back to calendula (Calendula officinalis), a vital ingredient in traditional medicinal elixirs. It’s the first port of call for any cutaneous injury and shows impressive results against acne and scarring. This plant brandishes anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, purgative, emmenagogic, and digestive properties. In his lab, Vaggelis concocts a critical calendula extract in almond oil, one of the methods for harnessing the active ingredients of herbs through processing. In this instance, he employs semi-dried herbs to manage the plant’s resin content, which lends a creamier texture. The other two processing methods involve a hydrolate, i.e., utilising water or steam as a solvent for essential oil and flower water production, or alcohol for tincture preparation.

Lastly, like many herb enthusiasts and experts, Vaggelis emphasises the St John’s Wort or balsam plant (Hypericum perforatum). A plant that blooms at the sun’s zenith in June, acting as a natural “solar collector,” he elaborates. This solar energy is conjectured to initiate the miraculous therapeutic effects now acknowledged within biochemistry and pharmacology circles.

Consequently, it balances the nervous system as a natural antidepressant by transmitting the absorbed photons. For the same reason, it’s an effective warming remedy for musculoskeletal pains associated with cold. In northern countries, it is popularly used owing to the lack of light and the corresponding Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Thus, many experts deem some exposure to sunlight necessary when preparing the extract of the balsam plant in olive oil. Vaggelis believes that two weeks are adequate to amass solar energy but advises against “overheating” the oil to better preserve the extract.

Furthermore, Hypericum acts as a broad-spectrum restorative and curative agent for the skin, beneficial for conditions such as dermatitis, abrasions, and burns. Suitable for internal use as well, particularly for gastroenterological ailments. As it exerts a slight antithrombotic effect on the blood, it’s contraindicated for anyone on a similar antiplatelet therapy or antidepressant treatment.

Vaggelis laments that a part of Greece’s illustrious tradition—originating from the likes of Hippocrates, Galen, and Dioscorides—has somehow been lost, in contrast to Chinese herbal therapy. He yearns that our ancestors’ wisdom had been more systematically conserved and maintained. Through his enterprise and the events he hosts, he gets the opportunity to showcase the island’s natural history and introduce visitors to the enchantments of the botanical world. Meanwhile, he offers an alternative, superior quality tourist experience, especially during the low visitor season. He considers himself fortunate and privileged to now live in such a place, capitalising on the living treasure that Amorgos is and provides.

Read also:

Amorgos Beaches – celebrate The Big Blue

Amorgos: Immerse Yourself in an Authentic Cycladic Experience

Eating like a Local in Amorgos, Eastern Cyclades