Dinner at Crisso, in the house of the Bishop of Salona - Illustration from Views of Greece by Edward Dodwell

Dinner at Crisso, in the House of the Bishop of Salona is an illustration from the collection Views in Greece from Drawings published by Edward Dodwell in 1821.

The warm scene of a dinner party in Crisso, hosted by the Bishop of Salona, captures the essence of Greek conviviality. Around a table laden with traditional dishes, guests share stories and laughter, symbolizing the generous welcome and rich culture of the region.

The literal transcription of the notice accompanying this plate is reproduced below:

The large village of Crisso, which probably occupies the site of ancient Krissa, is situated in the ancient territory of Phocis, on the southern slope of Mount Parnassus, about six miles west of Delphi. The Bishop of Salona, who resides in this village, received us in his home. This circumstance afforded us a favorable opportunity to observe some customs which are worth tracing, since they prove that there still exist today customs known in antiquity, which have survived the centuries which have elapsed since history transmitted them to us. We dined in an open gallery from which there was a magnificent view, which embraced the classic shores of the Gulf of Crissa. This gulf is bounded on the side of Achaia, by a superb curtain of mountains which links up with the Panachaïkos chain, which extends towards the Ionian Sea and the ruins of Dyme. The nearest hills are part of the Locris Ozoleum, and the town of Galaxidi can be seen on a peninsula jutting out of the Gulf of Crissa. It occupies the site of an ancient town, which was probably Euanthia.

Before sitting down to table, as well as when we rose after dinner, we observed the ancient ceremony of washing hands. A servant holds in his left hand a tin basin, which he presents successively to each of the guests, while in his right he holds a tin ewer from which he pours water over their hands to wash them; a towel thrown carelessly over his shoulder serves to dry them. This ceremony not only takes place before and after meals; but it is also practiced by the Greeks and Turks before beginning their prayers. The ancients observed this custom, as we see in Hesiod, in Homer, and in other authors.

We dined at a round table, supported on a column-shaped base, similar to the monopodia of the ancients. We sat on cushions placed on the floor. The middle dish is pilau, made of sweetbreads (sic) and boiled meat. The round cakes, which are a very beautiful (sic) type of bread, are called colori.

The venerable figure leaning on the left is the Bishop of Salona. This prelate is depicted receiving homage from a Greek peasant, who kisses the earth before bringing his lips to the bishop's hand. The man holding the basin and ewer is a Christian Albanian (sic), and the person washing is a Greek, a proper man. The figure in the middle at the table is a village priest; he can be distinguished by his black cap. The woman bringing a fowl is an Albanian (sic).