Επιστολή υποστήριξης για την ένταξη της ξερολιθιάς στον Παγκόσμιο Κατάλογο Άυλης Πολιτιστικής Κληρονομιάς της UNESCO

1 March 2017

The ANTHI TIS PETRAS (FLOWERS OF STONE) is a citizens' movement whose objectives are to protect traditional architectural heritage, to raise awareness, to elevate, to highlight and to promote the significant contribution of Lagadian masonry craftsmen to the formation of the Greek traditional architecture as well as to register Lagadia in the collective consciousness, as an emblematic place for the masonry craftsmanship.

The protection of traditional architecture, maintenance, enhancement and exploitation of significant monuments is thus one major priority. As a first step to achieve this objective, a significant archival material has been collected to create a detailed map of the masonry craftsmen constructions. This collection of tangible artefacts, such us agreements, contracts, photographs, masonry tools,stone founding inscriptions, etc., is also a crucial testimony of the intangible assets  of the traditional mountainous Lagadian culture. The applied methodology of the holistic approach was based on recordings, assessment and evaluation of existing written sources and oral testimonies of locals and craftsmen.

Dry stone constructions extending from simple structures as dividing and retaining walls, to more complex ones -including mainly rural constructions used for different stages of cultivation process- are important elements of traditional architecture. Although in a lot of cases, dry stone constructions were built by rural population, a significant number of them has been constructed by masonry craftsmen. Its value for the environment and formation of local identities is nowadays well recognised, while its maintenance trends to be problematic due to depopulation of rural areas and dramatic decrease of specialist craftsmen.       

Thus, the inscription of the element in the International Inventory ICH will contribute to enhancing its importance for the organisation of the space, its significance for environmental balance and essentially, to promoting it as a paradigm of harmonious interaction between humans and natural environment. Moreover, it will point out the cultural value of the art of dry stone constructions.

For the aforementioned reasons, we express by this letter our support for the international application for the designation of the label of Intangible Culture Heritage of Humanity to knowledge and techniques of dry stone constructions.

Yours sincerely

John Tsiaoussis

Chairman of the Board