Lemnos

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

STALIMENE. (Book Stalimene) LEMNOS is an Iland of the Aegaean Sea, which the Turkes and Italians do now call Stalimene: it is over against Thrace, between the Chersonesus of Thrace, and Ath•n a Mountaine of Macedon, the compasse of it is 100. miles. On the East side it is dry and barre•: but betweene the South and the West the Fields are very fruitfull, and doe bring forth Wheate, Pulse, Pease, Beanes, Wine, Flaxe, and Hempe. The Lemnian Earth is digged foorth now, as heretofore with many superstitious Ceremonies, and that every yeere on the 6. day of August, but not at other times. For it is forbidden upon paine of death, that none come to digge of it, either secretly or openly. The place out of which it is digged is called Vulcanes Mountaine. This Iland hath abundance of Bay-horses, which goe softly, and doe neither pace nor trot. It hath also Serpents. Here were heretofore the Citties Myriva and Ephestias,. But now the latter is ruinate and desolate, and called Cochino. The other is a small Towne, seated on a Peninsula which is joyned to the Iland by a small Isthmus or tongue of Land: it is now called Lemnos.