Unlocking Hidden Heritage European Project

Cyprus Action -Mapping the Cultural Landscape -22nd October to 4th November 2007

Basketry is a craft that has been practiced by local Akrotiri village people for centuries. It is one of the oldest handicrafts in Cyprus and has remained almost unchanged throughout the centuries. One of the basic objectives of our Centre is to conserve and promote this tradition. We organise basketry lessons, visits to local houses and other events in order to keep basketry alive, but we realised that this is not enough. A basic problem is that although few young people learned how to make baskets, they do not know about the species used, and the collection sites for each species.

The action proceeded in three parts:

Part 1: Mapping of the collection sites
Local people are using several plant species for basket making, all collected from Akrotiri wetlands. Participants in the action, with the help of local people, will use GPS to map the areas where each species is collected. All the data and information will be entered into a GIS program.

Part 2: Designing and mapping of the "Route of Baskets" trail
In the past, local people transfered their baskets from Akrotiri to Limassol markets, carried by donkeys, through a trail. During the action, this trail will be mapped using GPS, and a route will be designed, enabling tourists from Limassol to come to Akrotiri using this route, either walking, cycling or using a car (three alternative, almost parallel routes, will be designed).

Part 3: Basketry practicing and visits
Participants in the program will have the chance to visit the Central workshops of the Cyprus Handicraft Services, and other places to see traditional crafts, and also have some basket making practice.

We believe that all elements of UHH project, i.e. local community engagement, topographical mapping, critical cultural features identification, management of sustainable local material, traditional skills training, practical landscape restoration and cultural tourism planning, are satisfied with some extent with the above actions. Although this is just a short description, we are open to any comments or suggestions for the enhancement of this project.

Greek language description of the Cyprus action (MS Word)    
Read the article by Irish participant Dr Sasha Bosbeer
 

 

Images of 'Unlocking Hidden Heritage' Training Action in Cyprus
Visit to Troodos Mountains Visitor Centre
GIS and Plant Identification
Identification and Mapping of Species
Visit to Cypriot Pottery
Traditional Loom Weaving at Argaleios
Collected species for basketry
Collecting materials and producing baskets in Akrotiri