The first Dry Stone Workshop “The Amorgian Craftsmanship” was successfully completed on Friday 15 October 2021. The Workshop was organized in the area of Langada by the Mitato of Amorgos, a group whose goal is the preservation of the natural and cultural environment of Amorgos and the Cyclades in general.
During the Workshop, four local craftsmen, masons Antonis Vlavianos, Michalis Theologitis, Antonis Synodinos and Dimosthenis Theologitis, led more than 20 apprentices and participants in the construction of dry stone sustaining walls and cobblestone path.More local craftsmen, shepards and other peasants, were present at the workshop, applying the art of dry stone as they have learnt it from their forefathers and as they continue to use it in their fields.
The result of this collective effort is a beautiful dry stone complex, organically integrated in its surrounding natural environment, which the organizers, masons and participants hope will serve as an example for similar interventions in the Amorgian landscape in the future.
Within the context of the Workshop, lectures were presented in the evening hours, where several issues related to dry stone were discussed, as well as topics related to the role of dry stone structures, such as terraces, in the environment, tradition and culture. Lectures were presented by Mr Rigas Zafeiriou from the Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Anthropos (Med-INA), Mr Grigoris Koutropoulos and Mr Panagiotios Kostoulas from the itinerant workshop on traditional building techniques Boulouki, Dr Theodora Petanidou from the University of the Aegean, architects Mrs Eleni Pangratiou-Alexaki, Dr Ioulia Papaeftychiou and Dr Vivianna Metallinou, Mr Andreas Maniatis, representing the Blossoming Stones from Langadia, Arkadia, and Mr Ioannis Lagos, president of the Panhellenic Confederation of Social Economy Unions. The Dry Stone Workshop “The Amorgian Craftsmanship” concluded with a beautiful farewell ceremony on the evening of 15th October 2021, where a first report of the project was presented and certificates and souvenirs were awarded to participants. The feedback received by all participants was excellent, acknowledging the role of the Workshop in raising awareness on the importance of the art of dry stone and its cultural, aesthetic and social value.
The Dry Stone Workshop “The Amorgian Craftsmanship” was realized under the auspices of the Municipality of Amorgos, with the sponsorship of the Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Secretariat-General of the Aegean and Island Policy , Blue Star Ferries, and the support of Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF) and Part of the Solution..
The lectures presented are available here.
- Rigas Zafeiriou, coordinator of the programmes on Kythera Island (Kythera Trails, Terra Kytheria), Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Anthropos (MedINA).The wisdom of tradition: The environmental value of dry stone complexes in the Mediterranean ecosystems.
- P. Kostoulas, G. Koutropoulos, architects, “Boulouki” itinerant workshop. ‘“In place - On the road”: The itinerant workshop approach for the traditional building techniques.
- Dr T. Petanidou, Professor, Department of Geography, University of the Aegean. The project LIFE TERRACESCAPE: too ambitious to succeed?
- Dr I. Papaeftychiou, Dr architect. International dry stone practices. Dry stone structures in Greece.
- Andreas S. Maniatis, Member of the Board of Directors of the non-profit association "Blossoming Stones". The Blossoming Stones and the masonry of Langadians: An example of reviving an empirical craft related to sustainable local development.
- Dr V. Metallinou, Dr architect. The elegy of stone on the highlands of Aegiali, Amorgos.
The Mitato of Amorgos takes part in the 1st dry stone workshop on the island of Paros
On 10 and 11 February, we had the chance to experience a beautiful weekend in the heart of the Cycladic winter, on the occasion of the 1st Dry Stone Workshop on the island of Paros. The project was organised by “Archilochos” Cultural Association of Paros, along with the Cultural Association of Angeria, and it was a complete success.
read moreParticipation in the community mapping workshop in Kallithea, Aitoloakarnania
The Mitato of Amorgos had a wonderful and creative start to 2024! We had the opportunity to take part in the highly interesting Community Mapping Workshop that was organised by Youth Active Minds and Boulouki teams in Kallithea, Aitoloakarnania, Greece, from 2 to 7 January 2024. For four days, we worked with an active team of young people, of various...
read moreEvents and projects of autumn 2023
The autumn season of 2023 has been a period during which several events regarding the intangible heritage, the environment and sustainability have taken place in various parts of Greece. The Cyclades, experiencing unprecedented pressure and limited resources, have no doubt been in the centre of such developments. It was therefore unsurprising that several important events took place in the area, such as the Workshop on the Endangered Landscape of Sifnos Island...
read moreCancellation of the 3rd Dry Stone Workshop “The Amorgian Craftsmanship”
The Mitato of Amorgos greatly regrets to announce the cancellation of the 3rd Dry Stone Workshop “The Amorgian Craftsmanship” which was due to be held on the island of Amorgos from 16 to 20 October 2023.
Unfortunately, despite our timely actions, we had to face a new situation from part of the local community at the last minute, and therefore any readjustment of the organization of the event was impossible...
3rd Dry Stone Workshop "The Amorgian Craftsmanship" 16-20 October 2023
The Mitato of Amorgos is pleased to announce the 3rd Dry Stone Workshop “The Amorgian Craftsmanship”, taking place from 16 to 20 October 2023.
The project is the continuation of the 1st and 2nd Dry Stone Workshops “The Amorgian Craftsmanship” which were successfully realised in October 2021 and 2022 respectively, under the auspices of the Municipality of Amorgos and financed by the Ministry of Culture and Sports...
Participation in conference dedicated to the rural monuments of Tinos island (22-23 April 2023)
It was with great pleasure that we accepted the invitation of the newly formed association “Ambassada” in Tinos and we travelled to the “handmade island”, as Cornelius Castoriades has called it, on 22 and 23 April 2023, on the occasion of the conference “Rural Monuments of Tinos: humble buildings, jewels of the landscape”. The association “Ambassada” aims at raising awareness among the residents and visitors of Tinos island towards ...
read moreEnding 2022 with the completion of "The History of Water"
In December 2022, a beautiful project undertaken by the Mitato of Amorgos, in collaboration with “Nissos Amorgos” – Association for the Environment and Culture, was completed. “The History of Water” involved the restoration of the water tank in the area “Chorio”, outside the village of Langada on Amorgos Island. The works gave the organisers the opportunity to address water management issues through ...
read moreThe Mitato of Amorgos participates in the 4th islander's forum (PAROS ISLAND, 28-30/10/2022)
The Mitato of Amorgos participated in the 4th Islanders’ Forum which was successfully organised by the Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF) on the island of Paros, from 28 to 30 October 2022.
The Forum was attended by 45 participants, representing 30 organisations from 17 islands, from the Cyclades and beyond.
The presentations realised during the first two days aimed at introducing the people and organisations ...
Another succesful completion of the Dry Stone Workshop "The Amorgian Craftmanship" for the second consecutive year
This year, from 10 to 14 October 2022, three local masons, with the assistance of 35 participants that attended the works on site, have created 14 new cobblestone “kadenes” (steps), with a total length of 33 metres, and restored 10 parts of sustaining dry stone walls, with a total length of 39.30 metres.
read more2nd Dry Stone Workshop “The Amorgian Craftsmanship” 10-14 october 2022
The Mitato of Amorgos is extremely pleased to announce the 2nd Dry Stone Workshop “The Amorgian Craftsmanship”, taking place from 10 to 14 October 2022 on Amorgos.
Following the great success of the 1nd Dry Stone Workshop in October 2021, which was realised under the auspices of ...