From 24 November to 1 December 2024, we attended the week devoted to the Dry Stone Craft, organised on the island of Tinos by the Association “Ambassada”.
The week started with apprenticeship on the site, on the ancient rural road in “Gastria”, where partial restoration of the walls along the path took place.
From 25 to 28 November 2024, the primary and secondary pupils of the island took part in various events. The pupils showed particular interest and had the chance to learn about the importance of dry stone structures and the role they play on their island.
The main event, the Dry Stone Workshop, was realised from 29 November to 1 December 2024 and included building apprenticeship, restoring fallen sustaining walls along the path that connects the villages of Loutra and Smardakito. Under the guidance of local masons, we had the chance to learn part of the dry stone craft of Tinos, to listen to what its preservation means for them, but also share the masons’ memories from the past.
In addition, on 29 November 2024, a Round Table Discussion took place in the Municipal Hall of Culture and Education of Tinos (“Moschoulios School”), on the topic of the creation of a certified Dry Stone School in the Cyclades. Participants included organisations that are involved in the education of stone crafts and traditional building methods, the Ministry of Culture, as well as the Preparatory School of Fine Arts of Panormos, Tinos Island.
On Saturday 30 November 2024, in the village of Komi, a collective kitchen was organised by the Association “Ambassada”, with locals baking bread in the traditional wood-fired oven and participants cooking in a festive mood. The week was concluded with the completion of the works on site on Sunday 1 December 2024.
We are always happy to take part in such ventures! We thank the organisers for the invitation and hospitality and we hope that similar projects are firmly established in all Cyclades.
A manual for organising and realising an educational programme on the dry stone craft
It is with great pleasure and pride that we present the manual for the organisation and realisation of an educational programme on the dry stone craft. The aim of the manual is to guide organisations and civil society groups who wish to actively engage in the efforts towards the conservation and transition of knowledge of the dry stone craft, assisting them with the planning and realisation of educational programmes in order to secure minimum educational and quality standards.
read moreThe art of dry stone in Iraklia: the interaction between material, landscape and craftsmanship through time
This article is only in Greek and was born out of the reflections that arose during the Pilot Dry-Stone Workshop, held as part of the program ‘Allaximaria: Design and implementation of a model dry-stone workshop,’ which took place in Irakleia, through our interaction with the local community.
read moreImplementing a standardised dry stone workshop in Iraklia
The pilot workshop of the project "Allaximaria: Design and implementation of a standardised dry stone workshop" was realised on the island of Iraklia, Cyclades, from 8 to 22 October 2025, in collaboration with Boulouki team along with Association “Ambassada”. The pilot dry stone workshop was structured on two axes _ the programme of professional apprenticeship and the open workshop programme. Both programmes involved practical work on site and theoretical lessons.
read moreWall building at the Dry Stone Canada Festiposium 2025
The Mitato of Amorgos has been invited by the organization Dry Stone Canada and took part in the Festiposium 2025 which was held on Amherst Island in Lake Ontario, Canada, from 26 to 28 September 2025..
The Festiposium was a meeting opportunity for the members of the Association, friends of dry stone in general, as well as residents of Amherst Island, where the largest concentration of Irish type dry stone walls in Canadais found. Starting in 2015, the Dry Stone Canada team has realised more events on the island, with participants from other countries too, mainly Ireland, the UK and the USA. Through these events, free standing walls are restored, many of whom have been officially designated as dry stone heritage.
Participation in the events of the 7th Workshop in Traditional Stonemasonry in Langadia, Arcadia
It was with great pleasure that we received the invitation of the Association “Friends of Traditional Architecture - Blossoming Stones” to participate in one of the two evening events organised in the context of the 7th Workshop in Traditional Stonemasonry in Langadia, Arcadia (Greece), from 27 July to 3 August 2025.
The lectures focused on aspects of stonemasonry in the past, the relevant scientific research, but also the training framework in France, as well as the current steps towards this goal in Greece.