By Nicolas Bard

In the southeastern part of the province of Kynouria of the Prefecture of Arcadia the area of ​​Tsakonia extends. Where the green of Parnon meets the endless blue of Myrton Sea is Tyros, a picturesque seaside village, in the heart of Tsakonia. Distinctive features of the area are dialect, labyrinthine dance, local costume, but also traditional textile art, which is unique throughout Greece.

Local textile workshops in the area follow the techniques of the older and family traditions, always with respect to the textile art of the upright loom, which began in Tsakonia in the late 18th century. The scallop in the loom has not stopped beating three generations in Tyros Arcadia, with art being broadcast from mother to daughter and the creation of rugs, tags, corridors and other decorative continuing continuously from 1948 until today.

The noticeable difference of the Tsakonian textile is found in the way and the means of construction. The tsakona woven are created by cotton warp and woolen yarn and are one -piece creations of various dimensions, carrying the same design on both surfaces. The sizes of the moods made by the locals in their laboratories are adapted according to the designs and needs of each space.

The design of the loom, in fact, enables them to weave rugs to two and a half meters wide and unlimited length! Each rug is unique, full of images, emotions and stories, as it takes from ten to twelve days of weaving for each square meter. The designs are usually simple or geometric, and sometimes they have nature -inspired representations, from which the materials for the coloring of the yarn are derived.

This handmade weave requires special craftsmanship, talent and of course patience, as it has a unique tool, scallop. With perseverance, passion and excess of love, the locals continue the art that previous generations inherited, against the difficulties of the time and the dictates of modern life. If you are in the area, buy a traditional rug for your home, and support the effort made by the locals, so as not to lose this artistic expression of their homeland.

His camera where there is Greece traveled to Tyros, where he met Elizabeth Rodopoulou, a young woman who left life abroad and returned to her hometown to continue a centuries -old tradition. Her goal? To save the tradition of the Tsakonian textile and to highlight it through modern creations.