Despite
the
efforts of many scholars, a source for the name of the village
was never found. Theories do exist that advocate for a Slavic
origin; however, Slavic dictionaries and the works of linguist
Max Vasmer contain no written evidence of a similar name or
similar-sounding word root. Professor Drandakis claims that
the name is Greek, not Slavic, and that it comes from the
Greek word "peristasis", meaning circumstance, or condition.
He even points to the existence of several villages in northern
Greece by the same name, including one in Eastern Thrace.
In ancient times, a temple devoted to the Goddess of Peristasis
did exist in Perista, according to the editors of the Historical
Dictionary of the Athens Academy. It is possible that the
village name originated from this temple, and that through
the centuries, the name "Peristasis" was shortened or altered
to "Perista". These particular academics completely rule out
the possibility of the name being Slavic in origin.
In
an 1886 map, titled "An atlas of Greek lands fighting
for Independence" and produced by Russian philhellene Petrov,
Perista is referred to as "Berista." In Latin, the name "perusta"
means "scorched land," either as a result of fire or of extreme
frost. By the same token, "Perusta ossa" means "scorched bones."
In
Stamatakos' "Dictionary of Ancient Greek" the words/phrases
"peristin," "peristaino," and "peristimi" are mentioned, each
bearing the somewhat similar meanings of "hanging around,"
or being idle. Despite the confusion behind the meaning of
the name "Peristian," which our ancestors may have used to
refer to themselves, one thing is clear: they spoke Greek,
and did so in the Doric dialect.
