Figure 1.--Here we see boys and young mmen living in the Souda Bay area in what look like an olive grove. The photograph is undated, but was probably taken in the early-20th century. |
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We have little information on Crete, a large elongated Medditeranean island south of the mainland. Crete is the largest of the Greek islands. It marks the southern limits of the Aegean Sea. It is divided into four prefectures: Chania, Heraklion, Lassithi and Rethymno. Much of the island is rugged and mountainous. The coastline is notable for beautiful beaches and rocky coves which now attract tourists who also enjoy charming villages. Crete was the birthplace of famed Minoan civilization and many believe to be the cradle of Greek culture. Santorini to the north is another important Minoan island. The at Knossos are the best preserved of the Minoan Civilization. The noted Swiss photographer
Fred Boissonnas traveled around Greece and photographed almost all it's regions. One photoraph shows the Mandaka family. A HBC reader reports, "I have seen other photos by Boissonnas of the family in photo expositions. I believe that it was a big and wealthy family.
We have little information on Crete, a large elongated Medditeranean island south of the mainland. Crete is the largest of the Greek islands. It marks the southern limits of the Aegean Sea. It is divided into four prefectures: Chania, Heraklion, Lassithi and Rethymno. Much of the island is rugged and mountainous. The coastline is notable for beautiful beaches and rocky coves which now attract tourists who also enjoy charming villages.
Archeologists have found evidence of human habitation on Crete dating back about 130,000 years. Actual settlements have been dated to the aceramic Neolithic (7th millennium BC). They had advanced econimies based in livestiock (cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs), dogs, and agriculture using domesticated cereals and legumes. Sites included Kephala, Knossos, Magasa, and Trapeza. Knossos of course became the center of the Minoan civilization (c3000-1100 BC). For the Greeks, the first queen of Crete was the legendary Europa and then King Minos. The Greek legend tells about how the King refused to sacrifice a bull to the gods. Poseidon to punish him made his wife fall in love with a bull. This was the origin of the the Minotaur and labyrinth.
Archeologists of course now know a great deal about the Minoans who developed one of the wealthiet civilizatiins in the eastern Mediterranean In addition to Knossos, important sites have been studied at Chania and Lissos. The Minoans built a naval empire which prospered until a volcano on Santorini erupted and created a monsterous tusanmi that devestated the Island (1450 BC). The devestantion left the Minoans unable to resist invasions by the Achaeans and Dorians. The island was divided vetween the major city states. Ptolemaic Egypt in the Helenistic era attempted to invade Crete (267-61 BC). They were unable, however, to gain control over the different warring city states. Piracy became established in both Crete and Sicily creating a major problem for the expanding Roman Empire. The Romans conquered and pacified the island, in part to stop piracy (68-63 BC). Crete with the division of the Empire became part of the Eastern Empire (330 AD). The Eastern Empire evolved into the Byzantine Empire. Beautiful Byzantine basilicas and mosacic floors dot the islsnd. One of the most important Byzantine structures is the walls at Kydonia. The Arabs conquered Crete (824). The founded Heraklion (Handak). Arab rule lasted four centuries. The Venetians with their rising naval power overwealmed the Arabs (1204). They fortified the castles built by the Arabs and added new ones (Chania and Rethymno) which help staved off Ottoman attempts to seize the island.
Crete unoccupied by the Ottomans experienced the Renaissance. The arts flourished on the island. El Greco (Domenicos Theotocopoulos) began his career there. Other Byzantine artists and scholars from Constantinople and other parts of the Byzantine Empire fleeing the Ottoman Turks settled on Crete. The Ottomans finally conquered the island (1669). Ottoman rule continued until Greek statesmsn, Eleftherios Venizelos, negotiated the independence of Crete. Crete became an autonomous state until united with Greece just before World War I (1913).
Crete did not figure prominently in World War I, but it did in World War II. When the Germans invaded Greece (April 1941), the Greeks and British hoped to make a stand on Crete. A daring German paratroop invasion managed to seize the island despite a vigorous resistance (May 1941). The German paratroop division ws virtually destroyed in the process. Crete proved of only marginal importance to the Germans, but the losses probbly explain whu Hitler did not order a similar and potentially much more important invasion of Malta-- a much more important island. Cretans continued to resist the Germans during the occupation. Many Cretans were shot in reprisal. Chania and Heraklio were heavily bombarded. Damage from the War can still be seen.
We have some limited Information about Cretian families. The photograph on the Crete family page shows a family in 1929. They look much like similar families would look in rural areas of Grece itself. Hopefully as we learn more about Crete we will learn more about destinctive clothing trends on Crete.
Many traditions are preserved in the villages of Crete, especially in the more isolated ones. What we now call folk costume is what men ansd women still commonly wore vefore World War I and was still quite common at the time of world War II. Today traditiional styles are not as common as they once were, especially with men and boys.
We do note quite a number of older men wearing these styles, especially in the more isolated villages or throughout Crete for special occassions. The standard costume can make quite a statement. It includes the classic black kerchief with fringes worn to cover the head, a light-colored woven shirt, black vest (meidanogileko), and destinctive 'vraka' (salvari) trousers. The vraka are tiied around the waist with a very long (10 meter) silk scarf. When the weather turns cold,
men and boys cover their shoulders with a cape to keep warm. They also wear warm white boots (stivania). There are of course regional variants. In some areas men wear fezes with a navy blue tassel (sfakiano), a style which became popular during the Ottoman period. Belts can be black or red. Shirt and capes are often decorated with elaborate embroidery.
The noted Swiss photographer
Fred Boissonnas traveled around Greece and photographed almost all it's regions. One photoraph shows the Mandaka family. A HBC reader reports, "I have seen other photos by Boissonnas of the family in photo expositions. I believe that it was a big and wealthy family.
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