Best Clothes

Athens
5^th October 2014

Well, for me it's finally back with nose firmly to the grindstone and all!   

I've included this photo to show there was quite some variety in uniforms

We had a few days in Athens and luckily made it to Parliament House to witness the Sunday Changing of the Guard.  Despite the crowds, we managed to catch some of the review and see those spectacular costumes of the Presidential Guard.  Their uniforms or “Foustanela” derive from traditional Klepht costumes worn by resistance fighters during Ottoman times.  The pleats number 400, one for each year of Ottoman occupation. Needless to say, there’s much more to this uniform’s history and it’s well worth taking time to research it.

Athena guarding her domain

After the parade, I dashed off to Plaka to visit the National Folk Art Museum (dating from 1918!).  There again I came upon a wonderful collection of “modern” Greek costumes.  Each region has its own adaption of the basic garments and variations of colour and embroidery add to the mix.  It was also interesting to see a wonderful collection of ethnic jewellery and other folk items that enhance one’s (well, my rudimentary) knowledge of these beautiful garments.  Of course I realised that we were looking at “best” clothes, not those worn on a daily basis.  One lucky group was being given a very thorough guided tour by a Museum specialist – how fortunate were they!  If you're in this neighbourhood - a bit of a hike for some, this Patterns of Magnificence exhibition may be of interest to you.

All these costumes got me thinking about cultural influences and the costumes of ancient Greece.  The chiton, a typical form of Greek dress of those times, was so functional it was copied and adapted to suit by the Romans.  The chiton was a single length of fabric draped over and around the body, then fastened or pinned to hold its shape.  Of course, no textile remnants exist from this time so we only have artworks from the period for reference.   

 

Reminiscing

Corfu
12^th August 2014

Various pot-shots are seen on the façade to the right

While exploring the narrow cobbled streets of Corfu Town, we walked into an exhibition of Asian artefacts in the Palace of SS Michael & George. It was a stunning collection with a huge photo of my favourite building, the Taj Mahal. This was also an instant reminder of how much we were missing home. 

We moved through the exhibition halls and watched a young local lad absorbed in photographing everything in the museum, curtains and fireplaces included.  He’s either a budding Nat Geo photographer or a very cool cat burglar!.  Included in the display were a couple of very fine Uzbeki silk ikat coats and some small, hand-woven carpets.

Another hall held some delightful drawings of Corfu from the 1800’s.  Particularly interesting were the drawn versions of today’s panoramic photographs.  The artists' take on perspective was inspiring to say the least.  (Sadly, no photos were allowed.)  The building itself is being restored and the grandeur, both internally and externally of the Venetian building is evident.  At the front though, it is possible to see the damage done from cannon and rifle fire during turbulent times.   Its setting between the fort and town with a wonderful green park to the front allow us some understanding of how life must have been for those fortunate to be Corfu nobility.

Soothsaying in Delphi

Delphi
26^th July 2014

 

 Delphi is without doubt an experience not to be missed.  It underscores not only the principle of good real estate (location, location, location) but the value of dramatic effect.  In its time, Delphi was most certainly stage managed well; the result being its reputation and wealth celebrated widely.  It was considered the centre of the (Ancient Greek) world.

 

 As with many ancient sites, items of value are maintained properly in a museum and Delphi’s is a small gem.  Textiles of course, have not survived but we were able to grasp something of the splendour and glamour, of wealthy citizens from the exhibits.  Diaphanous gowns, robust body armour and exquisite gold jewellery.

 

Costumes & Armour

Nafplio
23^rd July 2014

Bourtzi appearing to float in Nafplio harbour

Nafplio's narrow cobbled streets

We took a few days to explore the Peloponnese by car.  Nafplio was most certainly on our list; it is another wonderful Greek town full of narrow cobble lanes with loads of atmosphere (and rather nice shops!). 

Our visit to the Archaeological Museum housed in a lovely Venetian mansion was well worth the time.  Their collection provided succinct but interesting information about a range of sites we had visited over the Argolis Region, Peloponnese. 

Highlights were a Mycenaean suit of armour (1400 BC) with a leather helmet decorated with boar tusks and terracotta face masks, used in Dionysus festivals, found in Tiryns. (These masks were vaguely reminiscent of those worn by New Guinea mud-men.) 

Nafplio is the kind of place you could happily wander all day or sit sipping cooling freddo-cappucino at sidewalk cafes.  I did find time to sneak into an impressive Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation Museum with a fairly extensive collection of traditional costumes, embroideries and household items.  Sadly, Greece has a turbulent history and many family textile heirlooms were sold off in hard times.  This is an excellent museum and well worth visiting.

 

Life in the Bronze Age

Museum of Mycenae
21^st July 2014

Cyclopean walls & Lion Gate

Discovering Mycenae, a Bronze Age civilization dating 1550-1200BC, is another feather in the cap of Heinrich Schliemann (who you’ll remember from Troy, of course).  Enthused by his rich findings on the basis of Homer’s epics, he also uncovered the grave and fortress of Agamemnon in 1874 deep in the Greek Peloponnese. 

Agamemnon's gold death mask

Aside from wandering the citadel with its famous Lion Gates, we were able to visit immense tholos tombs, built like beehives to house the (important) dead.  In one of these, Schliemann confirmed Homer’s description of the city as “rich in gold”, uncovering the wealth of Agamemnon.  

We spent time in the nearby museum which houses some of the most interesting finds from the site and reveals how sophisticated this civilization was.  Clay tablets inscribed with writing afford us insight into life within the complex and decorated dwellings depict hunting and battle scenes, religious activities and processions of court ladies. 

Sadly textiles did not survive (hardly surprising!) but we are at least able to glimpse their lives from remaining artefacts. Most engaging was decorated pottery, ornamental utensils and ornate jewellery made from precious stones and gold.  

  

Yarning on Poros

Poros
14^th July 2014



Poros is one of those memorable Greek Islands.  Small in size, with a picturesque white village climbing a steep hill behind, it is a busy port town catering to a wide range of international and local tourists – without being too fussed about it.  It’s also well protected and for many, a pleasant escape from the summer’s strong Meltemi (winds). 

Walking the town one morning, we found this fine example of guerrilla knitting, also known as yarn bombing.  Hardly in keeping with everything Greece, but a wonderful surprise.  There was a little information, mostly in Greek, but I was unable to track down if it was part of an exhibition or just an element of surprise in what is invariably a traditional village. 

(We have our own guerrilla knitters on Dangar, hence my interest.  Perhaps we could sister-village knitting groups with them?)

 

Mesmerizing Xysta

Chios
4^th July 2014

Negotiating Mestra's cobbled streets

On the Greek Island of Chios we managed to tour two of the famed mastic villages.  Mastic, or a gum resin is still refined from odd, scrubby trees that grow in the south.  It’s most famous use was in the manufacture of chewy sweets, and considered by the ladies of Istanbul’s harems something of an aphrodisiac. 

We bussed firstly to Mesta and took an hour to walk through this labyrinthine medieval and well-fortified village.  Cobbled streets, under vaulted tunnels of two storey houses, lead to a leafy town square set out with many eateries and a large Baroque style 18^th c church.  Whist walking, we spotted a small craft shop, replete with loom.  We were treated to a display of very fine weaving and allowed to wander through the cave-like premises, presumably once a home.
 

Xysta in Pyrgi

From Mesta, we bussed to Pyrgi.  Here, village houses are covered in xysta, or a mesmerising mix of geometric patterns cut into white plaster.  Inside the maze of these fascinatingly decorated houses, we stumbled on the remnants of ancient village walls and just off from the village square, a complete surprise, the tiny, fresco covered 12^th c Ayii Apostoli.  It was the xysta however that caught my quilter’s eye, so I spent our remaining time taking (lots of) photos of these amazing designs. 
 



(We're in Albania at the moment and having trouble loading photos on a slow internet connection.  Coming soon....)