Exhibition
Presentation Of Exhibits By Section
Metalwork
Metallurgy in Greece has a 5,000-year-old history. It is a craft of vital importance, particularly in traditional societies. Metal tools and vessels cover primary needs, thereby aiding survival. These labour-saving devices give social groups time to improve their social cohesion, organisation and thought.
The smith was the chief metalworker in Cretan rural society over the past 300 years. Coppersmiths’ workshops were located in the towns for reasons of security, as copper was valuable. There were no bronze-workers in Crete; two workshops opened in Heraklion and Chania in the 20th century, but they went out of business 15 years ago.
The smith
The smith, found in every large village of Crete, made the tools used in all other crafts. His own tools were identical to those of his Greek and European fellow craftsmen. He was, however, at a disadvantage compared to them: coal and iron were not imported to Crete, so he was obliged to use charcoal, which does not reach such high temperatures, and scrap metal of varying quality. Medium-quality iron was used for everyday tools, while high-quality metal was reserved for specialised implements.
The smithy included the forge with the big bellows, various anvils, hammers, tongs, wedges etc.
The coppersmith
The coppersmith mainly made cooking pots in various sizes, but also water and milk jugs, plates, dishes, cups, table jugs, lamps etc.
He used relatively few tools compared to the smith, because copper leaf is beaten when cold: small bellows, special hammers and anvils, tongs and shears.
The Carpenter
The Cretan rural carpenter made all kinds of wooden objects, from floors, roofs, doors, shutters and staircases to furniture and even coffins. His tools were not as specialised as those of his urban colleagues: large and small saws, hammers, planes, files, chisels, clamps and drills.
The cobbler
This was a common craft in the Cretan countryside, where all men wore boots. These take much longer to make than ordinary shoes. The workshop of the cobbler (or “stivanas” , i.e. bootmaker) was small and contained a chair and a small table for the tools and nails used in leatherworking. Boots were made on a single piece of calfskin sewn up the back and nailed onto the thick sole with wooden pegs. The cobbler also made women’s and children’s shoes.
The saddler
The Cretan packsaddle differs from those used in the rest of Greece, because the wooden frame has slots for attaching the ropes which restrain the load. The saddle is made of a singular and very solid wooden frame, padded on the underside with leather cushions full of hay or other vegetable fibres. It is attached to the chest and rear of the animal by leather straps. The stirrups are added last.
The saddler uses a sort of chair attached to a work surface made of a thick tree trunk used as an anvil. His few tools include cutting pliers, awls and leatherworking scissors.
The Tack Maker
The tack maker specialises in making all the leather parts of the saddle, packsaddle, bridle etc. He has a small table with a wooden clamp for leather, a sharp sickle-like tool, various cutting pliers and punches, awls and sewing needles.
The farrier
The farrier also uses a chair supporting a tree trunk, to which is attached the small iron farrier’s anvil. The various shapes and sizes of horseshoe and the special nails are made by the smith. The farrier heats them in the forge to shape them to the animal’s hoof. He uses a few simple tools: hammers, pincers and special cutting pliers for cleaning the hooves.
TRADE
During the long occupation of Crete, trade in rural areas was almost nonexistent and barter was used, even for buying sheep and goats or beasts of burden. Only the Venetians and, later, the Turks were allowed to engage in commerce, being established near the ports of the towns of northern Crete. The intermediaries were Jews and Armenians living in the towns. From the 15th century onwards, the main products of the countryside were “malvicino” wine (malmsey) and olive oil. The farmers brought their goods to sell outside the city every morning.
Very little currency circulated in the countryside, so Venetian and Turkish coins are rarely found in archaeological digs. Of course there were various scales, volumetric vessels and measures, but the basic currency was oil and grain.
