Is this Photography (?)

A photo blog of my everyday life as a photographer in Greece

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Donoùsa /do.núː.sa/ [Δονούσα, Δενούσα, ή Δόνουσα]

Very recently I had the chance to revisit Donoùsa, the easternmost and most unapproachable island of Mikrès Kyklàdes after 20 years since my last trip. This small island has become extremely popular for backpackers and youngsters, many of whom free camp in its sheltered southern sandy beaches. The island still possesses its isolated and secluded nature, however in the peak of the touristic season in August it becomes crowded and nearly swarming with colourful visitors.

Most backpackers set their lodgings in the small clearings of lentisks, tamarisks and olive trees that form dense groves in the fields behind the shore of Livàdi, filling them with tents and hammocks. The small sandy beach is crammed with sheds, umbrellas, jammed with tanned visitors with flashy and harlequin-like pareos. A remarkable community, or more accurately an actual makeshift village, is formed for the few summer months, inhabited by Greeks and foreigners alike, striving to enjoy the luminous Mediterranean sun and crystal clear sea. The fact that free camping in public areas (as all coasts and beaches in Greece are) is fully banned throughout the country, particularly in protected areas, and that hefty fines are imposed to perpetrators, discourages few backpackers, in Donoùsa at least, from this practice.

This over-visitation of still untouched and inaccessible islands and shores by the so-called "free campers" has peaked over the last decade in Greece. The still precipitating repercussions of the Greek financial crisis of 2010, the ever increasing cost of living in contrast to low wages, and the excessive and unethical, super profits of the tourism sector, Greece's "heavy" industry, have left few if any alternatives for generation Z, that has paid a huge toll, and still bears the immense debt burdens left by their parents. For most Greeks between their 20s and 30s, only a few days of holidays in the Greek islands, may require more than 2 monthly salaries or even more to be spent on ferry tickets, accommodation and subsistence costs, making the whole endeavour non viable. Staycation in Athens or in other main cities has become a mainstream for most, otherwise free camping is the sole option for enjoying the once common "people's swim" in the summer.

However, "free camping" is not without consequences, particularly for nature. Pristine, protected and sensitive sites (such as the idyllic sandy beaches with coastal dunes in small islands of the Aegean Sea) constitute the home for important, endemic and threatened species and habitats. Even the most aware and careful free-campers constitute a major threat, resulting in serious deterioration in wild and vulnerable natural ecosystems. Ignorance is the main cause, since most, if not all, campers presume that only litter and waste left behind are the cause of degradation, while strongly maintain that their "natural" free stay has no repercussions for the coastal dune ecosystems. According to researchers, it has been estimated that during the last thirty years, almost 75% of Mediterranean coastal dunes have been damaged or destroyed, principally by tourism. Anthropogenic impacts combined with natural coastline retreat accelerate the destruction of the dune vegetation, ultimately leading to dune destruction.

This was the case for Donkey-island, [Γαϊδουρονήσι], or Chrysì, an uninhabited secluded islet, south of Crete which was nearly destroyed by over-visitation and human induced degradation of its unique dune ecosystem. Propitiously the Greek state enacted an effective management plan and put into force protective measures for this natural gem, banning free camping and strictly regulating access and stay on the islet. Hopefully recovery of the much affected dune habitats will not be very far away.

Sadly, tourism and seasonal over-visitation, even free camping, of small and vulnerable islands that lack resources, but host important and threatened natural habitats and species, take a grave toll, that may dispossess insular and coastal communities from their most valuable assets, natural environment.

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Gökova Körfezi [Gokova bay]

Following my previous post from Amorgos and Amorgorama, I have found a new way to enrich the way I present my photography, thus adding to all photos  their dedicated soundscapes, in the final shape of a short film.

Over and above my artistic concerns, a few weeks  ago I was invited by Blue Marine Foundation to participate along with many colleagues from around the Mediterranean Sea, working in marine conservation in a dedicated meeting in Akyaka, Türkiye. Apart from the very interesting and fulfilling discussions during the summit, I also had the opportunity to stroll around the streets and beaches of the small town, and join a short guided excursion/field trip with the whole group through the Gökova bay MPA. The protected part of Gökova is managed in close collaboration with local small scale fisheries communities by the Mediterranean Conservation Society (Akdeniz Koruma Derneği), a Turkish Environmental NGO focusing on charismatic endangered marine species, biodiversity conservation, tackling the negative impacts of fisheries, and the restoration of marine ecosystems.

I have to admit that the work carried out by the Turkish colleagues is outstanding, especially concerning the cooperation with local fishers, the increased achievement of compliance to strict legislation regarding No Fishing Zones, and the effective surveillance and patrolling of the area. Despite the extensive marine habitat degradation, and fish stock depletion, now-a-days an ubiquitous state, at least in the familiar waters of the eastern parts of the Mediterranean sea, keystone charismatic species, such as the local populations of Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus monachus) and sandbar sharks (Carcharhinus plumbeus) seem to be recovering in the overall area of the bay, yielding promising insights and expectations for a more encouraging future in the preservation of marine biodiversity and the restoration of our oceans.

The natural environment, both marine and terrestrial, the cultural landscape, the overall scenery and aspects of Gökova bay, and particularly the human and social elements felt more than close, intimate one could say, fully reflecting the close ties and shared heritage between the peoples living in the two sides of the Aegean Sea.

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Amorgorama [Αμοργόραμα]: a genuine communal vision for the preservation of the seas.

The short film, or audiovisual slideshow of this post is the first part of the series that will be shot on the field in the coming months, closely following the bottom-up [1] marine conservation and fisheries management initiative of the local Small Scale Fishers of Amorgos in the Aegean Sea. A few months ago I had published another post which provided limited information on this project, now the time has come to properly highlight it!

This novel initiative-Amorgorama- seeks the legislation of spatial conservation measures from the Greek competent fisheries authorities for the protection of Amorgos' seas. It further appeals for the establishment of a participatory administrative scheme, based on fisheries co-management principles [2] for the overall sustainable management of the fishery sector of Amorgos and its surrounding marine area.

The phenomenal abundance of fishery products marketed and consumed in unprecedented quantities throughout the globe is only superficial, while fish-stock depletion and irreversible collapse of marine ecosystems have become more than evident on a worldwide scale. These blighted practices threaten not only the survival of countless species, but also the existence of coastal and insular human communities. Overfishing and the ceaseless degradation of the marine natural environment, through extractive, unsustainable and destructive human practices, pose now-a-days as some of the most important environmental issues to be urgently tackled. If humanity still wants to preserve the oceans and restore them to the blooming marine ecosystems they once used to be, direct and effective response is crucially needed.

This ill-fated state has been brought out not only by conservationists, activists and fisheries scientists, but also by fishers, especially small scale local professionals, heavily dependent on healthy marine ecosystems and thriving fish-stocks necessary for their livelihood. Small Scale Fisheries represent the majority of the EU fishing fleet (approximately 80%). They are particularly important in the Mediterranean Sea, where they have been playing a dominant role in the survival and nourishment of small insular and coastal communities for millennia. Typically, these are family-based businesses, where owners and their whole families are directly involved in the fishing activity. The small scale fishers of Amorgos have suffered over the last years a striking reduction in their incomes. This predicament was mainly induced by the rapidly declining and overfished fish-stocks, the degrading marine habitats, such as Posidonia meadows, coralligenous habitats and mäerl beds, all of which constitute key biodiversity hotspots and foremost nursery and fishing grounds, and the overwhelming and ubiquitous marine plastic pollution. 

Amidst these grave circumstances, a local small scale fishing community has created Amorgorama, a shared, collective dream that has become the communal vision of Amorgos Island for a sustainable future both for fisheries and the marine natural environment. Amorgorama has inspired and is embraced by the entire local community and the local authorities of Amorgos, while it is supported by conservationists, the scientific and academic community, environmental NGOs, other stakeholders and authorities on a national and international scale. The fishers of Amorgos demand the designation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), particularly as no-take zones for fisheries in the northern shores of the island, a bimonthly temporary cessation of all fishing activities around the island between April and May, while during this period they will collect and recycle plastic litter and debris from the numerous inaccessible shores of the island with the use of their fishing vessels and caïques. Most importantly they plea for the establishment and operation of an effective and well-guarded MPA, and not the inauguration of a paper-park, a common mishap due to the persistent lack of political will by Greek policy makers.

A recent positive development that may apparently move marine conservation forward in Greek seas has been endorsed by the Greek government and its leadership. A year ago and during the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille in France, the Greek PM explicitly expressed his will and commitment to actively accomplish the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 [3], and particularly the 30 - 10 Protected Area targets (at least 30% of the sea should be protected in the EU, while 10% of EU seas should be strictly protected [4]) for the Mediterranean and Greek Seas. Consistent to the above declaration, the national competent authority for fisheries, the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, formally expressed its support to Amorgorama, reflecting thus a critical change in its overall fisheries management policy, which over the last decades remains rather conventional and narrow in terms of environmental conservation and nature protection. Thus, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between all competent bodies, fishers, environmental NGOs and foundations, universities, local and regional authorities, confirming that the vision of Amorgorama is shared by all signatories and that the findings of a fisheries research study currently implemented in the targeted sites will become the main base for the designation of Marine Protected Areas and the future management of Amorgos’ fisheries.

Amorgorama is actively supported by the Cyclades Preservation Fund, the Blue Marine Foundation, the Municipality of Amorgos and the Agricultural University of Athens.

[1] The bottom-up approach aims: (i) to encourage a process of local participation; (ii) to involve the local community; (iii) to draw out ideas and generate initiatives; (iv) to build consensus and (v) to delegate decision-making powers to the local community and the involved stakeholders

[4] According to the Criteria and guidance for protected areas designations Commission’s Staff Working Document 28/01/2022-SWD(2022) 23 final: “In the context of the 10% target in the Biodiversity Strategy, strictly protected areas are defined as follows: “Strictly protected areas are fully and legally protected areas designated to conserve and/or restore the integrity of biodiversity-rich natural areas with their underlying ecological structure and supporting natural environmental processes. Natural processes are therefore left essentially undisturbed from human pressures and threats to the area’s overall ecological structure and functioning, independently of whether those pressures and threats are located inside or outside the strictly protected area”.

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The Shipyard of Koufonisi [το καρνάγιο του Κουφονησίου]

The Aegean Archipelago was once full of shipyards and ship carpenters, building and repairing the countless wooden caïques that have been crossing the Mediterranean and the seas of the Levant since prehistory. The once omnipresent traditional wooden and wind-powered vessels have been now-a-days replaced by plastic speedboats, powered by polluting internal combustion diesel engines. Yet, in Greece one can still find a significant number of wooden traditional vessels, the caïques, mostly surviving as small scale fishing boats.

With thousands of islands and islets and more than 15,000 kilometres of coastline, Greece is the absolute maritime country. No local, nor a visitor can envisage the small insular and coastal communities in Greece without the ubiquitous, colourful, wooden fishing boats, manned by sunburned and seasoned fishers. Besides, the Greek fishing fleet currently (2022) consists of more than 14,000 fishing vessels, the largest fleet by numbers in EU. However, most fishing boats are of reduced capacity and power, below 10 meters of length, and build of wood, as traditional caïques.

Alas, in this day and age, this ancient profession of ship carpenter will probably become extinct, while most of the traditional wood-shipyards are vanishing from the islands, replaced by modern and more profitable tourism related financial businesses. Over and above, the wooden traditional fishing caïques in Greece are literally under persecution, due to the EU Common Fisheries Policy, which is rightfully aiming to reduce the grave and seriously negative impacts of fisheries to the marine ecosystems and fish-stocks. In fact, an EU supported measure for achieving the latter objectives provides important financial subsidies to fishers that permanently cease their professional fishing activities. In order to certify the cessation and claim the subsidy from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (currently EMFAF), the fisher is required to tear down and scrap his fishing vessel, thus often leading to the loss of a unique and wonderful craft, never to be build again. Hopefully, a strong movement with reaching awareness campaigns has been built up to sensitise fishers and authorities for the paramount value of wooden fishing caïques and to seek their preservation as important and protected elements of the Greek and Mediterranean cultural identity.

This post and its photography has been shot in Pano Koufonisi [Πάνω Κουφονήσι], a small island laying to the SE of Naxos, famous for its sandy beaches and its tough and numerous small scale fishing community. The island is inhabited by skilful seafarers and veteran fishers, its community is heavily dependent on fishery, while only the very few recent decades, a steep and torrential turn towards tourism is observed. Despite its small size, Pano Koufonisi hosts the last traditional wood-shipyard in this part of the Aegean Archipelago, which serves a significant amount of small scale fishers and wooden craft owners from the neighbouring islands. Unfortunately, the survival of this small shipyard is not secured for the future, despite the efforts of the local community, the small scale fishers from the island and beyond, and the local municipal and regional authorities. Hopefully, the Ministry of Culture may accept a formal request by the Municipal Authority of Naxos and Small Cyclades (to which Pano Koufonisi belongs to) to declare the shipyard as a Modern Monument, thus ensuring its operation for the future and preserving an activity that may become extinct very soon from our modern society.

A research study for the case of Koufonisi shipyard, its preservation and restoration has been carried out by Mrs. Mpaltoglou, in the context of her thesis for the University of Thessaly, Department of Architecture (2020 in Greek). 

*A great thanks to Mr. Mihalis Prasinos (portrayed in the photography), the last ship carpenter of the shipyard of Koufonisi, and the main driving force behind the efforts for it preservation.

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Hidden Gems or devoured landscapes?

It seems that the we are currently living amidst the first post-pandemic (NOT) summer of the northern hemisphere, howbeit already overflowed with natural catastrophes, extreme weather events and climatic emergencies. Despite the superficial aestival slump, my everyday newsfeed is full of calamities, disasters, and the overhanging (or better already present at least in Greece) financial collapse of the coming winter.

At the same time the famous islands and coasts of Greece are overwhelmed, actually swarmed by tourists, implying that 2022 will be the next record year in arrivals, after the phenomenal 2019. This precipitates the mainstream, but fully distorted common perception that tourism constitutes Greece's heavy industry.

Alas we have reached the point of no return and apart from our cities, villages, and the iconic ancient antiquities, virtually all landscapes, seascapes and marine areas, whole islands, along with their natural ecosystems and their entire local culture have been transformed into a commercial product, advertised, sold and consumed irresponsibly and utterly unsustainably. This all-inclusive perspective has steered a substantial part of the whole Greek economy towards the services sector, thus fully abandoning other key primary productive activities, such as agriculture, particularly in areas and sites in which they traditionally had a huge financial but also social importance. The repercussions of this ill thought advance are more than obvious in small, isolated insular and mountainous communities, where traditional and other primary productive activities have ceased to exist, bringing about heavy dependence from the mainland for basic products and goods.

Closely observing the above rationale, investors acquire considerable areas of whole Islands solely to satisfy commercial interests, and proceed to the construction of pharaonic resorts that devour unique, vulnerable and threatened landscapes. Tourism and its consecutive massive -in most cases- reverberations that are necessary for accommodating the out of scale numbers of targeted visitors, have drastically altered the appearance and essence of cities, towns and villages, while the devastation of this hasty and improvised transformation has left incurable scars on the natural landscapes and seascapes. This unprecedented flow of travellers and of course income, has veiled the urgent need to take precautions, formulate regulations and organise the whole society for what now we name "Overtourism".

Even so, the traditional livelihoods and the unbroken for millennia way of life in the Aegean and Ionian insular communities, as well as in the secluded mountainous villages have radically changed. Entire local and mostly isolated communities, along with their sustainable and self-sufficient economies that have been surviving and evolving for thousands of years have become in a matter of decades dependant to a sole and absolute activity: provision of touristic services. The exclusive character and idiosyncrasy of each community, island and village has been lost, and exchanged to a uniform appealing touristic product to be marketed and bought. The prudent passenger will easily suspect that the cosmopolitan and hospitable impression and façade of Santorini and Mykonos are only superficial. Just beneath this thin, papery surface one can only find an unvarying Disney land, a carefully prepared and set up theatrical scenery completely detached from its surrounding societal, local and natural environment.

The photography for this post was taken during the revisit of several walking paths hiked some years ago, which produced numerous of my blog posts for landscapes and places, still undiscovered on the island of the famous and over-visited Santorini. Unfortunately, it seems to me that this impression will not stand for long. I am content that a hidden paradise is even now secluded from the eyes of many, but until when...

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Libya, or to be more precise Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya [الجماهيرية العربية الليبية الشعبية الاشتراكية]

This one is a short retrospective of a journey carried out during 2007 in Libya, much prior to the Arab Spring of North Africa and Middle East and the civil wars [1 and 2] that have resulted in chaos, turmoil, complete instability and a huge death toll for the whole region and especially this great country of north Africa.

Not many things to say though, I chose to focus on some street portraiture  taken during my short stay in Tripoli and not from other areas in the country. They just remind me easy and untroubled days...

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Amorgos [Αμοργός]

This one has been one of the very few islands of the Aegean Archipelago that I had never properly visited and explored, up until the previous April. Amorgos, a long, mountainous, cliffy and rocky piece of land lies on the eastern edges of the Cyclades, facing the islands of Keros, Koufonisia, Schoinousa, Iraklia and Naxos to the northwest, and Astypalaia to the southeast. Quite far from Piraeus (at least 9 hours away by ship), with no airport, Amorgos is regularly connected solely to Naxos and Mikres Kyklades [Μικρές Κυκλάδες], through a daily itinerary carried out by the famous Skopelitis small car ferry.

Remote and isolated from mainland Greece, but also from the majority of the islands of the Aegean Archipelago, Amorgos has built a unique and intriguing character. Not only its landscapes and vistas are spectacular, mountainous, full of cliffs with breathtaking views to the fathomless blue sea, but also its folk is a fusion of locals and foreigners, altogether forming an amalgamation of cultures, visions, origins and ends. As one of the island’s most recent settlers discussed with me during my short stay: ‘Amorgos should not be mistaken, nor confused to be a female, or a consoling woman to travellers, and strangers reaching its shores after a long and tiring journey [*]. On the contrary, Amorgos is a man, the close and solacing friend so much needed in grave and dire times, that will stand by your shoulder and shelter you, being a newcomer and a local alike’. Largely contributing to the reputation of Amorgos has been the Big Blue [Grand Bleu], a motion picture that has established the island as a unique alternative, non touristic destination, still standing, since mass tourism has not yet encroached nor consummated the unique qualities and moments captured by Luc Besson in the late ‘80s.

One of these unique instances has been unwound in front of my own eyes during the night of the Good Friday and the procession of Epitaphios in the village of Katapola, the main port of Amorgos. After Epitaphios has left the Cathedral carried by the mourning worshippers, a ritual takes place choreographed by the small scale fishing community of the island, when fishers man their fishing caiques, stock them with fireworks and flares to be fired, and follow the procession by sea close behind, grieving the Crucifixion of Christ. The feelings and the rewards I received during this peculiar customary tradition were more than moving, filling me with captivating moments and images.

Amorgos is full of surprises, a true gem for travellers striving to avoid the swarms of mass tourism and enjoy the pristine nature, since the island is renowned for its very well preserved long hiking cobblestone paths, crystal clear blue waters, and unspoiled natural habitats. Marine and terrestrial areas of the island have been already designated as parts of the EU Natura 2000 network of Protected areas, both as Special Areas of Conservation for habitats and species of community interest, but also as Specially Protected Areas for wild birds.

*All islands in Greece are of feminine gender, thus we Greeks think of them as females

I would like to sincerely thank the small scale fishers of Amorgos and I should highlight here that over the last years their association, named Hozoviotissa [Χοζοβιώτισσα], after the famous monastery hanging on the southern cliffs of the island, has been a pioneer in an joint effort to establish Marine Protected Areas and No Take Zones surrounding its marine waters, to promote sustainable fisheries, and decrease fishing effort especially through a temporary cessation of all fishing activities during fish spawning periods in April and May each year. At the same time they have been using their fishing fleet to collect and dispose of marine litter from all inaccessible beaches of Amorgos. This important cause has been named Amorgorama [Amorgos’ vision], seeking our support to become a reality soon! The main objective behind this initiative is not only to protect and restore the seriously degraded and overfished marine ecosystems, but also to preserve the traditional and low impact small scale fisheries of the island, the small family-based fishing businesses and the ancient Mediterranean fishing tradition itself, since it constitutes an integral element of Greek insular communities that have been striving to survive and sustain their livelihoods the last decade.

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The wild islets of the Aegean Archipelago

This post is focusing on the island of Therasiá [Θηρασιά], the unremembered minor sibling of Santorini, the second inhabited island of the volcanic insular complex. It closely follows my two previous photo essays in this blog, which were about two very peculiar settlements of this beautiful but outlandish islet, Kerá [Κερά] and Agriliá [Αγριλιά].

Therasiá is quite small, less than 10 square kilometres, very easy to hike and even all remote areas and spots can be reached on foot. Today only a small populace of approximately 320 people (according to the last census in 2011) lives in three small villages, Manolás [Μανωλάς] (the capital community on the cliff of the caldera), Potamós [Ποταμός] and Ríva [Ρίβα] (the port). There is one more settlement, Kórfos [Κόρφος], serving as a seasonal picturesque dining spot for daily visitors and tourists from Santorini, which lies on the shoreline of a protected cove on the foot of the caldera, connected with a steep hair-pined path to Manolás. As already discussed in the Kerá and Agriliá  posts, the island is in stark contrast to Santorini in regards to tourism and visitation. Therasiá despite being literally a breath away from the cosmopolitan and hyper-touristic Santorini, remains calm, unspoiled and vacant from the omnipresent swarms of tourists used to encroach the spectacular overhanging villages of the cliffs. Even so, a small chapel above the port of Ríva in Therasiá, Agía Iríni [Αγία Ειρήνη] -Santa Irini- has granted the common given name of Santorini. According to Delendas [1], this cove -now the port of Ríva- sheltered foreign seamen and ships navigating in these parts of the Archipelago many centuries before the two volcanic isles, Kamménes [Καμμένες] had risen from the deeps of the caldera and provided their safe inlets and protected bays. 

The photography of this essay was taken in November 2021, during a short autumn stay, full of treks and walks on this unique islet. The visit resembled though more to a past, now bygone, time-travel journey, instead of a modern vacation. Therasiá is closer to Santorini of the '50s, around the years of the devastating 1956 Amorgos earthquake, instead to the modern 21st century. This sensation is perplexing and challenging, but as well inspirational, as the included photography clearly presents.

[1] Ioannis Delendas (1949) The Catholics of Santorini (in Greek) pp260, Good Press Office. Athens

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Naxos, st’ Aperathou [Νάξος, στ’ Απεράθου]

Traditionally all over Greece (and the Balkans as well) the last weekend of the Triodion, that leads to the Lent is full of events and festivities where people celebrate the end of the Carnival (Apókries). These celebrations are the most renowned pagan remnants, glimpses of a past lost in the dawn of ancient European communities. In Greece, during the carnival festivities, people, especially those residing in remote and isolated places, become emancipated from the everyday strict “orthodox” and religious requirements and manners, release them selves from their conventional burdens, disguise, dance and drink in frenzied parties directly connected to primeval chthonic feasts for Dionysus and Persephone revelling the rebirth of Spring.

That is the case in Apeíranthos, a mountainous and isolated village, quite far from the coasts of Naxos, whose traces are lost literally in prehistory. Naxos is the central and largest island of the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea, an island that once was the capital of the Duchy of the Aegean, during the Frankish rule in the middle ages (1204-1579). The island, despite its size, is self-sufficient, while the local populace is still bound to the earth and extensively cultivates the land and grows livestock, producing exquisite commodities, many of which are granted the status of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)

During the last Sunday of the Carnival the so called Tyrinē (cheesy), the youths of Apeíranthos (many of them shepherds) parade through its alleys, wearing heavy linen capes from which they hang the largest of the metal bells of their goat herds around their waists, and cover their heads with scarves and caps, swinging long sticks carved from elderberry (Sambucus nigra) or koufoxiliá [κουφοξυλιά]. The disguised youths, named Koudounátoi (bell-bearers), represent a direct reference to livestock breeding, a ubiquitous vocation of the local populace of this village. The nearly unbearable rattle of Koudounátoi serves the ancient need of shepherds to cast out evil spirits, those ancient superstitions that are still interweaved in animal husbandry traditions, connecting the present mountainous communities with the primeval Dionysian mysteries, the followers of Dionysus and the perennial exigency of humans to interpret and personify Nature.

More info on this exquisite custom of mountainous Naxos can be found in this link, in Greek though

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Athens lost and found

Athens [Ἀθῆναι] is the capital of Greece, a modern metropolis possessing though a seemingly endless history lost in the mists of the past, in what is so called the ‘dawn of western civilisation’ according to the popular belief. A city which has dramatically changed in the course of the millennia of its existence, which is in constant transformation, from better to worse rather than vice versa.

During its modern life span, in the last two centuries and especially after the Greek Revolution of 1821, the city of Athens has swollen up and passed through several remouldings of its appearance and physiognomy, hence neoclassicism, modernism, and the infamous produces of valuable consideration of land, stand nowadays as monumental milestones of its history scattered, other in ruins or direpair and other as obnoxious temples of its architecture.

Notwithstanding, the primeval, ancient core of the city, bound by the surroundings of the steep hill of the Acropolis, is even now present retaining its vital essences of a past hidden in obscurity and consigned to oblivion of its pre-modern and medieval periods. Unfortunately, very few frankish, ottoman and pre-revolutionary structures and monuments have survived up to date, while most extant older buildings do not count more than 150 to 180 years of age, in contrast to most European metropolises, whose dwellings clearly reflect their roots and history.

Nevertheless, a night stroll in these ancient parts of the city, insite feelings, echoes and recollections of the past itself, of foregone interweaved semblances of seemingly heterogeneous and disparate eras. The night enfolds the old quarters with a mysterious veil, revealing at once what has been dispossessed.

This not-so-recent story of the renowned but yet unknown Athens is sensationally illuminated in a series of lectures, entitled: “Athens reveals its Ottoman and Otto’s the 1st past”, by the Bodossaki foundation 6 years ago, sadly most of them in Greek language.

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Christianá islets [νησίδες Χριστιανά], quite familiar, but unreachably far away (part II).

After a very (but very) long delay since the first part of this post on Christianá islets, I have finally decided to post the second part and accompany a black and white conception of my short visit in the small island complex back in 2016. Hence, this second post is mostly focused on the human-related aspects of the environment of the islets, and predominantly the largest one, Christianí [Χριστιανή].

Despite the fact that all three islets are more than arid, barren and utterly deserted now-a-days, human presence and habitation has been very well documented since prehistory (2200-2500 BCE), according to Dr. Christos Doumas, and the archaeological findings that are exhibited in the Prehistoric Thera Museum in the capital of Santorini, Fira. More recent evidence, as documented by Mr. M. Mindrinos, testify that Christianí was renowned for the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian the oldest of Santorini and its diocese, which may also have been the origin of the name of the island complex of Christianá and of course of the main island. Today, the Monastery lays in ruins, and only its foundations can be seen by visitors. Currently there are no habitable dwellings on the island of Christianí, nor in any of the other two islets, Askanía and Escháti, apart from the chapel of Saint Vasílios [Άγιος Βασίλειος], which was reconstructed in 1994, since the early temple was completely collapsed. Nevertheless, during the 20th century and until 1954 Christianí used to be the home of Vangelis’ Argiros’ family, originally from Santorini. Despite the obvious difficulties, the family was able to cope and get on well on such conditions, with close and frequent connections to Santorini and access to all the necessary daily sustenance, most of which was locally produced on the islets. Vegetables like the cherry tomato of Santorini and the local cucumber, katsoúni [κατσούνι], barley, split peas, goats and sheep, as well as fish was locally grown and caught, while olive oil, cheese and flour was traded with sailing ships from Crete. 

Today the islets of Christianí and Askanía are private property, but are also part of the European Network of Protected Areas Natura 2000, (Special Protected Area GR4220022 NISOI CHRISTIANA, and Special Area of Conservation GR4210011 VRACHONISIA NOTIOU AIGAIOU: VELOPOULA, FALKONERA, ANANES, CHRISTIANA, PACHEIA, FTENO, MAKRA, ASTAKIDONISIA, SYRNA - GYRO NISIA KAI THALASSIA ZONI), thus under a protective regime for the conservation of nature and wildlife. Access to the islets is not possible, unless one has a private vessel, however the small chapel of Saint Vasílios is celebrated on the 1st of January every year by locals of Santorini. 

Hopefully Christianá will remain unreacheable and far away, a true monument of nature and of human persistence, now abandoned for good...

More information on Christianá

Antonios E. Karamolegkos. 2013. Christiana islets. Kallisti Publications, Santorini. pp 54 

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Tsìpouro [τσίπουρο] and kazània [καζάνια]

During each October and November, nearly everywhere across mainland and insular Greece a feast takes place, where spirits are usually distilled from the pressed grape pomace that has been already crushed for making wine, or from other crushed and pressed fruits with high sugar content (figs). The pomace will be first fermented for some weeks, and after this process has finished, the resulting alcoholic product will be boiled in a traditional distillery called kazàni [καζάνι] in Greek, which will yield, rakì [ρακή], tsikoudià [τσικουδιά], tsìpouro [τσίπουρο], or soùma [σούμα], the name depending mostly on the locality where the distillation takes place.

In Crete, the spirit is called rakì or tsikoudià, as also in the Cyclades, while in mainland central and western mountainous Greece, it is called tsìpouro, and it is usually double distilled and also mixed with anise, thus when diluted with water and ice it transforms to an aromatic milky, but potent liquid. Such spirits may be quite intoxicating, with up to 65% of their volume being clear alcohol, thus consumption should be carried out with caution. In Santorini, an island with very long tradition in viticulture and winemaking, the distillation process took place in the rakidiò [ρακιδιό], a part of the kànava [κάναβα]. Kànaves of Santorini and Therasia do not only represent wine cellars, but actually constitute the artesanal winery, where grapes were crushed and pressed after the vedema, their must was fermented in excavated underground tanks, ‘linoì’ [ληνοί], and where the renowned wines of Santorini were stored and aged in wooden barrels. At these structures the locals used also to distill spirits from the pressed grape pomace called rakì [ρακή], thus using every last remain from the wine-bearing vines (Vitis vinifera), locally named ambeliès [αμπελιές]. The kànava is also nearly without exception a rupestrian building, integral part of each residential household in Santorini and Therasia before the extensive prevalence of industrial wineries.

The photographs of this post were taken some years ago in 2017 at Oia Santorini, during one of the renowned tsìpouro feasts organised by Mr. Paris Sigalas, a true pioneer among the modern winemakers of Santorini. Domaine Sigalas was founded 30 years ago and was operated, until 2020, by Mr. Sigalas, while very recently he has entered new endeavours with his new winery Paris also in Oia, Santorini.

Just to satisfy your curiosity the feast was marvelous, as was the tsìpouro I drunk (in large quantities), while a musical band played in the cellar amidst the tsìpouro and tsikoudià barrels and the guests that were dancing, drinking and mingling.

Evìva [Εβίβα]... To life!

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Skáros [Σκάρος] of Santorini

Skáros used to be the most important and spectacular fortified settlement of medieval Santorini, and the capital of the island during the period of the Duchy of Archipelago until its desertion in the late 18th century. Its foundations were laid in 1207 CE after the sack of Constantinople, and the coronation of a new Latin Emperor (Baldwin I of Flanders) by Iacopo Barozzi, a Venetian noble, Duke of Candia and lord of Santorini and Therasìa. The 4th Crusade sets the beginning of the Frankish and Venetian states of the Levant, especially in the areas belonging to the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire.

The castle of Skáros today lays in ruins, with very few, if any, evidence of its former magnificence and dense habitation that lasted until the first two decades of the 19th century. One can only see now a barren and harsh place, scattered with volcanic rocks and very few collapsed constructions, that provide no information on their initial use.

The rock of Skáros is located on an unreachable and isolated part, literally hanging on the cliffs of the Caldera of Santorini, 300 metres above the sea. The access to the rock is very difficult and dangerous, through narrow and precarious paths on the verge of chaos. For these qualities, its unhindered view to the West and the Aegean Sea, and its secluded and impregnable position, the Venetian and Frankish new lords of Santorini chose to build their new capital on top of this rock. The citadel was built and constantly repaired during numerous consecutive phases, in the beginning on Upper Skáros [Άνω Σκάρος] or Rocca [Ρόκα], where the donjon, the duchal palace, the residence of the feudal lord and Saint Peter, the first cathedral of the catholic community, were initially constructed. However, the loose composition of the volcanic substrate of the cliffs, along with the high seismicity and violent volcanic activity of Santorini lead to the expansion of the settlement towards Lower Skáros or Lower Castle [Κάτω Σκάρος/Κάτω Κάστρο], which was considered more solid, though to a greater extent accessible to intruders, and the gradual abandonment of the Rocca. It is now determined that around 50 residences and public buildings were located on the Upper, while more than 150 on the Lower Skáros. The population of the citadel in 1655 CE has been estimated to approximately 500 adults. The ceaseless seismic and volcanic activities (1457, 1650, 1670, 1707, 1780 CE) have seriously damaged the castle and caused the collapse of several public buildings and residences, forcing thus out the catholic community of the island towards the neighbouring towns of Imerovigli and Fira. By the beginning of the 19th century only a handful of residents remained on the collapsing Skáros, with the last of them being the nuns of the Dominican monastery, who finally abandoned the castle in 1811 for Fira, where the new monastery dedicated to Saint Aikaterini was constructed. After its final desertion the citadel of Skáros was reduced to ruins, while dwellers from the neighbouring towns and villages eviscerated any standing buildings from  valuable construction material, further culminating in the disrepair of the castle.

There are several historical descriptions of this magnificent citadel from numerous visitors of the Levant during the medieval period, providing us with important details and insight on how Skáros may have looked like in his pinnacle. Unfortunately, there are quite few actual depictions or drawings of the citadel, while its current collapsed state does not allow for a clear representation of its past. Very recently in the context of the implementation of an EU funded Interreg Project entitled ‘Mo.Na: Monuments in Nature, a creative co-existence’, a very informative short documentary was prepared as a “digital tour” of Skáros, presented by Mr. Dimitris Athanasoulis of the Cyclades Ephorate of Antiquities. The documentary provides valuable information on this unique monument of medieval architecture, while it also includes a  depictive view of the citadel in its full extent, based on historical information and engravings.

The citadel of Skáros, and the additional four fortified settlements, kastélia [καστέλλια], of Santorini, as well as the islet of Therasìa remained closely related and/or dependent to the Duchy of the Archipelago, where several noble families of Venetian, Catalan and Frankish origin owned feudal lands and the accompanying privileges. The families of Barozzi, Sanudo, Crispi, Delenda, Dacoroña, Cirigo, Dargenta, Albi, Ghizi, Aquila and many many more have grown deep roots in the Aegean Archipelago, with strong presence now-a-days in the local communities of the Cyclades islands, as the extensive use of their family names witnesses. Santorini remained a part of the independent Venetian maritime state of the Duchy of Archipelago until 1566 CE, with the deposition of the last Latin Duke Giacomo IV Crispo. The ultimate Duke was Joseph Nasi, appointed by the Ottoman Sultan Selim II, who ruled to 1579 CE until his death, however never setting his foot on his dominions. The Duchy became formally a part of the Ottoman Empire as the Sanjak of Nakşa Berre, until the Greek Revolution of 1821, and the establishment of the modern Greek Republic.

More information on Skáros and its history can be found in:

Ioannis Delendas. 1949. The catholics of Santorini, Contribution to the history of the Cyclades (in Greek)

Katerina Ritzouli. 2016. The evolution of the architecture and building construction in Santorini from Venetocracy up to the earthquake of 1956. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

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Aga’s Fountain [η βρύση του Αγά]

This unexplored public fountain, placed on the north slopes of Profìtis Elìas mountain in Santorini, quite close to the 11th century Byzantine church of Panagìa Episkopì [Παναγία Επισκοπή], represents one of the very few Ottoman monuments on the island, still unrevealed and quite difficult to reach.

According to archaeologist Maya Efstathiou, from the Cyclades Ephorate of Antiquities, the fountain was built by an Ottoman Voivode [Βοεβόδα] for communal use, a customary deed for muslims, that has established public fountains as a widespread ottoman heritage across the empire. The exact construction date is not known, however the fountain predates the Greek Revolution of 1821-1828, since Santorini has declared its independence from the empire on May 1821, while its presence is also confirmed by the Jesuit abbot Pègues in 1842.

The fountain comprises of a two storey impressive construction that is placed inside the ravine on the slopes of the mountain, which supplied it with fresh water. The whole construction of the fountain also includes a 70 metre long dry stone walled channel, that provided water to the small plots of land surrounding the overall area. Long after its construction and during 1880, the fountain was renovated by Mr. Nikolaos Argyros, proprietor, evident by the carved inscription [Η κρήνη αυτή ανεκηνίσθη υπό Νικολάου Αργυρού, ιδιοκτήτου εν Θήρα 1880].

Despite its communal character, the fountain does not seem to have provided large quantities of water, necessary for agricultural use. Its seasonal and not constantly flowing character would probably water only a small recreational garden for public or private use.

Today the fountain has been forgotten and unappreciated, in contrast to the other two main and renowned springs of Santorini: Zoodochos Pigi [Ζωοδόχος Πηγή] and Katefiani [Κατεφιανή], both on the slopes of Profìtis Elìas mountain. This oblivion is mostly stemming from the fact that the fountain has lost its communal and public character for more than a century, and as the above mentioned inscription reveals it has become a private property, which now-a-days lays nearly in ruins and direpair.

All information included above have been extracted from the very recent edition: “Santorini & Revolution 1821” published by Kallisti Publications, the Theran Society and the Santorini Archive Project. The coordination and the overall curation of the publication has been carried out by Mr. Lefteris Zorzos. 

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Kerà [Κερά]

Therasia, the forgotten and bygone miniature sibling of Santorini island, has literally become my obsession, and following an additional short visit after  Agrilià, the small island proved to be even more astonishing with its unbelievable landscapes and rupestrian settlements, still surviving, though deserted on the steep and inaccessible cliffs of the caldera.

Kerà is a small deserted rupestrian settlement exactly on the verge of chaos, on top of the caldera of the Santorini volcano, which was created by the violent Minoan eruption during ~1600 BCE. The tiny village and its handful of nearly collapsed dwellings, face the cosmopolitan and full-of-tourists Santorini, while they still stand despite the ferocity of nature. This part of the island lacks any infrastructure necessary for the provision of electricity or running water. The buildings are all constructed word for word within the top layer of volcanic tephra, àspa [άσπα], as the locals name this mineral, clearly demonstrating the cave dwelling vernacular architecture, which is ubiquitous across Therasia and Santorini. The carved residences are nearly identical, typical to the rupestrian habitation units found also in other settlements of Therasia, as of course in Agrilià. The habitation part of each residence faces the caldera, hanging on its cliffs, while just beside lays the omnipresent ‘canava’. The canava of Santorini and Therasia does not only represent the local name for wine cellar, but actually constitutes the artesanal winery, where grapes were crushed and pressed after the vedema, their must was fermented in excavated underground tanks, ‘linoì’ [ληνοί], and where the renowned wines of Santorini were stored and aged in wooden barrels. At these structures the locals used also to distill spirits from the pressed grape pomace called rakì [ρακή], thus using every last remain from the wine-bearing vines (Vitis vinifera), locally named ambeliès [αμπελιές]. The canava is also nearly without exception a rupestrian building, integral part of each residential household in Santorini and Therasia before the extensive prevalence of industrial wineries. In Kerà each residential unit, along with its canava, cistern and external oven is walled with hardened volcanic black or red stones, and then plastered with a long-lasting, nearly imperishable mortar made mostly of a mix of àspa and lyme.

Being one present and absorbing the experience of such places, remnants of an era lost in time, brings about contemplations on how the current developmental model over-exploits the landscape, the natural environment, human culture and historical architecture. It is more than evident, especially in the renowned and over-visited Cyclades in the Aegean archipelago, that we have commercialised just about everything with value. Alas, this value has become solely a synonym of profit to our ‘modern’ societies, with all other aspects and qualities inundated and dwarfed in view of its immense monetary worth. It could be that I possess a romantic perspective on the need to preserve vernacular constructions built in harmony with the natural landscape, traditional uses and practices,  local knowledge and historical settlements against the massive wave of tourism encroachment, and the utter loss of all bonds and connections with our past. I do consider such an experience stunning and fulfilling, a unique privilege to enjoy a glimpse of a vanished and distinctive age, incompatible with our contemporary lifestyle.

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So close, and at the same time so far away... Agrilia [Αγριλιά]

Just abreast to Santorini, a bit more than a nautical mile to the west, lies a small island, nearly an islet, called Therasia [Θηρασιά]. This island shares a common geological (and cultural) history with its larger sibling, actually belonging to the same insular complex, along with the two Kamenes islets (Palaia and Nea Kameni), Aspronisi and Santorini. Its eastern cliffs form an integral part of the caldera of Santorini’s volcano, renowned for its catastrophic Minoan Eruption, approximately 3,600 years ago. Despite the proximity of the two islands, Therasia is in stark contrast with the cosmopolitan, wildly desired and hyper-touristic character that has been encroaching Santorini for over 30 years. Its towns, villages, landscapes, landmarks and local inhabitants pose as images of a distant and forever lost past.

This hidden-in-plain-sight islet is concealing unique places, landscapes and beauties, one of which is the deserted rupestrian settlement of Agrilia, typical of the vernacular architecture of the islands of Santorini and Therasia. According to A. Daniil, A. Zacharatos, V. Gouliopoulou, O. Molida and M Nassi in “Therasia I: A timeless route” by Palyvou and Tzahili: The rupestrian settlement of Agrilia is situated at the central part of Therasia and is similar to those of Santorini. The settlement extends on the slopes of two gullies created by the erosive force of water on the upper geological layers of volcanic tephra, and is comprised of two parts developed along the central, lowest path of each gully. The settlement of Agrilia is abandoned and consists of approximately 130 rupestrian buildings (cave dwellings), while the majority of the structures are in ruins. Two main quarters are clearly distinguished, one located on the main central path and one on the sides of the gully, where the compact residential units are situated in three distinct levels. The two functional spatial fields are connected through a complex network of paths. The typical residential unit is organized around the external space of the yard. Two rupestrian structures house the internal spaces of the residency, supporting main and secondary functions. The oven and the cistern are located at the yard, whereas a vegetable-fruit garden is cultivated at a lower level. Local materials and techniques have been used for the construction of the structures. The spatial elements that comprise Agrila are organized and rated clearly. The settlement was formed by the repetition of similar units (the typical residential units), where public space dominates private space, while the human scale is retained in the environment. The settlement is fully integrated to the ravine landscape, being completely indiscernible from the sea, thus protected from frequent attacks by pirates and other invaders during the past. Another remarkable characteristic of Agrilia is an impressive church located at the beginning of the the settlement, dedicated to the Presentation of the virgin Mary [Εισόδια Θεοτόκου]. The temple was built in 1887, probably by the most renowned vernacular architect of Santorini, Ioannis Saliveros denominated Mpatzanis [Μπατζανής], and belongs to the cross-in-square type, with a prominent size and rich uncommon external decoration, dominating the entrance of the settlement.

Following the above intriguing description, I was very fortunate to be hosted by a dear friend living on Therasia, who has been closely working with “Boulouki” [Μπουλούκι], an interdisciplinary research community, whose work focuses on the study of traditional building techniques and materials, and is currently implementing a project, entitled “Under the Landscape” [Κάτω από το Τοπίο], which includes a series of workshops/seminars all taking place in Therasia, especially for the settlement of Agrilia. During my short visit I was delighted to meet and discuss with numerous participating architects, artists, university professors, masons and students, all co-workers and contributors to the community and the project, but most importantly I was able to attend a full day of open presentations on the history of Agrilia and Thirasia and the work carried out there by “Boulouki”. The primary objectives of the project have been the restoration of the main cobblestone path of Agrilia settlement and of its historic out-of-use underground cisterns, by solely using the archetypal construction materials of Santorini and Therasia, theran earth [1,2] and volcanic rock, and following the ancient traditional masonry and construction knowledge of the islands. The famous Theran earth is the volcanic tephra/pumice, known by locals of Santorini and Therasia as aspa [άσπα], which has been mined from both islands from the early 19th to the last quarter of the 20th centuries. Aspa constituted an important mineral in the early Greek state’s industrial history (19th century), extensively used as a building material due to its hydraulic properties, but also exported to numerous countries around the world. In the traditional architecture of Santorini, local craftsmen used apsa, which they collected in situ from the excavation debris during a cave dwelling construction. Aspa represented the primary component in the diverse building materials employed in the rupestrian settlements network that was developed in the insular complex of Santorini throughout its long history.

Agrilia settlement has been more than fascinating, a true monument of the cycladic vernacular architecture, that journeys its visitor to a forgotten past, yet still present in front of our eyes...

For more info on the activities and work of Boulouki you can follow their facebook page, explore their current and past work, and support the community for continuing the excellent work carried out in the context of “Under the Landscape” project.

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Lefka Ori / Aradena / Anopoli [Λευκά Όρη / Αράδαινα / Ανώπολη]

Lefka Ori (white mountains - λευκά όρη) is a mountainous range located in western Crete. They are named after the perpetual white color of their peaks as the off white of limestone -their predominant rock- during the summer and fall interchanges with the snow that covers the peaks until late in spring.

I recently visited the southern parts of this spectacular range, staying for a couple of days in the small mountainous village of Anopoli [Ανώπολη], which lays on a plateau above 580 meters of altitude. Close to Anopoli, one can easily explore the breathtaking Aradena gorge, which gives on to a beach by the Libyan sea. A homonym small deserted village is located on the steepest cliffs of the gorge, with several abandoned and desolated stone buildings, posing as sole glimpses to a distant past.

The whole surrounding area is included to Samaria National Park, an area legally protected under Greek law for its unique habitats, endemic species of flora and fauna, ecosystems and geotopes, also a Special Area of Conservation (LEFKA ORI KAI PARAKTIA ZONI GR4340008), an integral part of the European Network of Protected Areas, Natura 2000. Thankfully, Samaria National Park, one of the oldest protected areas of Greece (initially established as a National Forest [Εθνικός Δρυμός] in 1962), is fully operational, accessible for visitors and hikers / mountaineers, as well as very well managed. This protected area constitutes a monument of nature for which Cretans and overall Greeks are proud, and aware of its legal status, in contrast to numerous other protected sites in Greece, that are in actual fact paperparks, with insufficient if any protective measures enforced at all.

The Cretan landscape is uncommonly impressive, while the island is literally a miniature continent, where one can find all types of ecosystems, from alpine environments to abyssal trenches thousands of meters below the surface of the sea.

Unfortunately this post cannot portray the immense variety and magnificence of the landscapes, vistas and views of highland Crete, just a sneak-peak of its brilliance.