Iamia or Yamia is a village in the Regional Unit of Messinia, with a population of 122 inhabitants, according to the 2011 Census. Administratively it belongs as a Community of Iamia, in the Municipal Unit of Koroni of the Municipality of Pylos-Nestoros. It is located very close and between Finikounda (7 km.) And Koroni (10 km.).
Location
It is located at an altitude of 294 meters, opposite
Mount Zarnaura (altitude 518 meters). The 13th Provincial Road of
Harakopi - Methoni passes through Iamia. It is 272 km from Athens,
232 km from Patras and 50 km from Kalamata.
Production and
population data
The latest tradition states that after 1800 large
families from Arcadia gradually migrated to the village, such as the
families of the Mourdoukoutians ("Mourdoukoutas") and the Sardelians
("Sardelis"), who used to live as nomads, being employed. shepherds,
initially moved to the village of Desylla in Messinia and from there
gradually migrated to the area of Pylia.
Evidence also for
the folklore of Iamia, but also of other villages in the area of
Koroni, is also present in the work of the writer and folklorist
Georgia Tarsouli.
The Blanai family ("Blanas"), originating
from Arkoudorema in Arcadia, also settled in Iamia. Arkoudorema is
120 km away from Iamia.
It is a rural area, with olive oil as
its main product. The olive (Koroneiki variety) is cultivated and
olive oil is traded and exported. It also has small livestock and
poultry farms, Cafe-Grocery and apartments for rent.
It used
to have a larger population and operated a Primary School, which now
serves as a polling station and a small folklore collection, among
other uses.
Churches
The settlement has 4 churches. The
Parish Church of Agios Konstantinos and Eleni, which celebrates on
May 21, the church of Agios Georgios of the Cemetery, the chapel of
the Assumption of Agia Anna, near the area of Hamaloni, which
celebrates on July 25 and the church of the Assumption of the
Virgin, near the Cemetery.