top of page

A look into the SOUVLA-history

Writer: The Authentic SouvlakiThe Authentic Souvlaki

Updated: Mar 27, 2021

Yassas, our beloved Greek food lovers!

As you might well remember, not so long ago we decided to give extensive answers to some of the most ingenious questions we have ever been asked. So the time calls for the oldest and the most controversial of questions: What was grilled first, the souvlaki or the kebab?

Many would think that souvlaki is a type of street food that has originated from the many years of Greece being under Ottoman rule, but this is not true. Archaeological findings and writings clearly prove that souvlaki as we know it today comes from the ancient Greeks. Are you interested to find out how it started?

In the beginning was the word and the Greek word was obeliskos (the diminutive of obelos – “spit”). Obeliskos was even mentioned in the works of Aristophanes, Xenophon, Aristotle and others. A dish of bread stuffed with meat which resembles the way pita souvlaki is served today with pita bread was also attested to by Athenaeums in his “Deipnosophistae.”

Researcher George Katsos says: “According to archaeological finds, the inhabitants of Greece are one of the first people in the world who sliced and roasted several types of meats almost four millennia ago, applying a new cooking method to the traditional boiling process of the Neolithic Age”, can you believe it? Almost four millennia ago! The skewered meat recipe existed as a favourite in ancient Greece during Archaic times, with the earliest references to this practice in the works of Homer. However, excavations held in Akrotiri on Santorini by professor Christos G. Doumas have unearthed stone barbecue holders for skewers (Greek: krateutai) which were used before the 17th century BC and were popular before the disastrous eruption of the island’s volcano.

Even later on, during the Byzantine era, references describe street vendors selling souvlaki wrapped in pita in Constantinople. And as you well know by now, Constantinople used to be Greek land before it became the seat of the Ottoman Empire, so it is safe to state that kebab is derived from the ancient souvlaki.

According to writings found on plaques, in ancient Greece there were festive events focusing on roasted meat dishes, using viands which were usually sliced. Athenaeus recorded that the skewered pieces of meat and other goods were sold in thermopolia, cart-like stands that amazingly featured hot coals, which operated in markets.

Along with the similar meats they served, the carts themselves were like today’s cantinas or street vendors’ stalls (pretty much like ours), essentially selling the fast food of the time, including hot skewered meat, chestnuts, doughs, salted cold cuts and so on. The clay pottery found shows that the cooking utensils were transportable, proving that they were used by street vendors.

To sum it up, Souvlaki is an ancient Greek street food, that has been around the block for more than 4000 years and no nonsense food will stick around for that long. So stay safe, keep calm and eat souvlaki!

Kali orexi!




 
 
 

Recent Posts

See All

Our 2024 New Year Resolution

Yassas, our beloved Greek food lovers and aficionados! Firstly, we wish you all a very Happy Yummy-In-Your-Tummy New Year! We missed you...

Comments


  • Do you do deliveries?
    Currently, we are not delivering, however, this will change in the near future. Just keep an eye out for the updates...
  • Do you cater outside London?
    As a general rule, we tend to operate within London. Nevertheless, depending on the scale of the event, we are open to offers, just get in touch with us by clicking here.
  • Can we make a reservation?
    We are operating from a street food gazebo stall, therefore cannot offer table service nor book a table at any time. However, our markets (Fenchurch Street and Chatsworth Road) both have sitting areas onsite 😉
  • Where can we find allergen information?
    Please ask our well-informed staff for any information!
  • I am a vegetarian. What can I eat?
    We've got your back! You can idulge yourself with our Halloumi stuffed wraps and lunch boxes, be it single, double or triple filling.
  • Are your dairy ingredients pasteurised?
    Absolutelly! All of our dairy products and cheeses are fully pasteurised!
  • Where can I send my feedback?
    We take pride in delivering the classic Greek flavours and we thrive do improve, therfore we cherish your feedback. We would love to here from you so send your feedback to contact@theauthenticsouvlaki.co.uk or upload your pictures and GIFs on our site's shared gallery. Looking forward to hearing from you.
  • Is street food safe?
    We've carefuly selected all the suppliers we work with and ensured the products are compliant and of highest standards. Moreover, we choose busy places for trading that are popular both with locals and tourists so there's a high turn-over of food and it's not left exposed in the heat for long periods. Also, we store and prepare our food according to the current regulations and we hold a 5-star Hygiene rating score. Thus, our meals are both delicious and safe to it!
  • What is your Privacy Policy?
    At The Authentic Souvlaki, accessible from theauthenticsouvlaki.co.uk, one of our main priorities is the privacy of our visitors. This Privacy Policy document contains types of information that is collected and recorded by The Authentic Souvlaki and how we use it. If you have additional questions or require more information about our Privacy Policy, do not hesitate to contact us. The Authentic Souvlaki follows a standard procedure of using log files. These files log visitors when they visit websites. All hosting companies do this and a part of hosting services' analytics. The information collected by log files include internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet Service Provider (ISP), date and time stamp, referring/exit pages, and possibly the number of clicks. These are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable. The purpose of the information is for analyzing trends, administering the site, tracking users' movement on the website, and gathering demographic information. Cookies and Web Beacons Like any other website, The Authentic Souvlaki uses 'cookies'. These cookies are used to store information including visitors' preferences, and the pages on the website that the visitor accessed or visited. The information is used to optimize the users' experience by customizing our web page content based on visitors' browser type and/or other information. Privacy Policies Third-party ad servers or ad networks uses technologies like cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons that are used in their respective advertisements and links that appear on The Authentic Souvlaki, which are sent directly to users' browser. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. These technologies are used to measure the effectiveness of their advertising campaigns and/or to personalize the advertising content that you see on websites that you visit. Note that The Authentic Souvlaki has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers. Third Party Privacy Policies The Authentic Souvlaki's Privacy Policy does not apply to other advertisers or websites. Thus, we are advising you to consult the respective Privacy Policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information. It may include their practices and instructions about how to opt-out of certain options. You can choose to disable cookies through your individual browser options. To know more detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers, it can be found at the browsers' respective websites. What Are Cookies? Online Privacy Policy Only This Privacy Policy applies only to our online activities and is valid for visitors to our website with regards to the information that they shared and/or collect in The Authentic Souvlaki. This policy is not applicable to any information collected offline or via channels other than this website. Consent By using our website, you hereby consent to our Privacy Policy and agree to its Terms and Conditions.

The Authentic Souvlaki

info@theauthenticsouvlaki.co.uk

bottom of page