Loom

Sep 5 2023 - Sep 5 2023

Loom

Date

Sep 5 2023 - Sep 5 2023

Location

The Weaving Art

Weaving characterizes the area of Epirus and, by being part of its identity, connects it with the cultural heritage of Zagori. It is a form of folk art stronly connected with multiple aspects of the everyday life of the place and has been passed down from generation to generation. The oldest weavings themselves provide distinct information about the techniques, the colour play, the patterns and the materials used. Weaving links folklore to history, marking the particular place’s economy and social life at certain times.

The use of the loom often gave autonomy to the household and covered the basic needs of the family by amplifying the household economy. Furthermore, it depicted in the best possible way the imagination, creativity and traditional technique of the local weavers.

The residents of Epirus are the key holders and the continuators of a long cultural and civilizational tradition.

The Rizarios Handicraft Centre, legacy of the national benefactors Manthos and Georgios Rizaris, in their hometown Monodendri, is active in the field of weaving and has been operating continuously from 1979 to this day.

The operation of the Rizarios Handicraft Center aims to promote the cultural heritage of Zagori, utilizing elements of the place that are still active.

The promotion of weaving at a local, national and international level, contributes to not only local development, but could also be a proposal for alternative forms of tourism. This effort has also strengthened the file for the promotion of the cultural identity of the region to UNESCO, which led to the inclusion of the Zagori region in the World Heritage Sites.

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Historical development of the Argalion

The loom, a tool with a long history

From Penelope, Circe and Calypso to our days, tool is used to weave tradition and history! The loom is one of the oldest handmade tools. Finds place its initial stages in the Paleolithic period. The archaeological, anthropological or ethnographic research carried until this day determine the evolutionary path. The use of specific materials and the application of improved weaving techniques define the types of looms used up until today and the textiles that are being created.

The usual finds of the old households include a large number of weaving tools, indicating that weaving, especially in the mountainous settlements of Epirus, was one of the most important occupations. These were prominent in the employment and economy of the region, as well as in its culture and tradition.

Wool, being one of the most important products of the livestock farming of Epirus, was, relatively, in abundance and this is something that the inhabitants took advantage of. Weaving developed on two different levels, as a domestic craft, to meet the family’s needs for clothing and household equipment, and as a commercial activity.

It is therefore a functional and efficient project that the Rizari School of Crafts highlights and promotes in the best way the art of weaving.The vision of the late Rizari brothers is implemented daily by contributing to the promotion of the value of the circular ecological economy and by becoming a means of artistic expression and creation.

the types of loom
(vertical and horizontal)

Types of Looms

There are various types of looms but their basic parts do not differ significantly. Based on the vertical or horizontal alignment of the warp threads and the size, the types of loom are defined, the main ones being vertical and horizontal. The rustic and the Armenian loom, respectively.

Armenian Loom

It is a traditional seated anophantarium with a hanging comb called “chteni” consisting of four sticks connected at the bottom with four thick planks and four more at the top, often made of cypress and walnut. The “stymoni”(weaving threads) is wound on a cylindrical wood and the threads, which pass one by one through
“mitaria”, end in the teeth of a wooden comb. The weaver, with her feet pressing on the footrests, pulls up and down the “mitaria”. On this loom, the fabric is wound on a roller at the front of the loom. The Armenian loom is used to weave fine fabrics (linen-cotton-silk), chemise, frames, tablecloths, curtains, etc.

Rustic Loom

The basic principles of weaving on the vertical loom do not differ from those on the horizontal loom. They differ in the direction of the warps, which are stretched perpendicular to the ground between two beams. The fabric is formed at the bottom of the loom. With the rustic loom, products such as coarse bedding, rags, shams, fleeces, bahtas, etc. can be produced.

The traditional weavings and patterns of the Zagori region

Zagori’s traditional patterns and weavings

Traditional weavings are often decorated with elaborately designs and colourings typical of the region. They were used in wall coverings, textiles covering areas around the fireplace, bed linen or various decorations, in textiles intended for joyous occasions, clothing and many others.

Shapes and colours are imprinted on the milimeter paper and are followed closely to get the final design on the weaving. The milimetric boxes act as pre-agreed and known boundaries between the weavers that clearly guide them in executing the requested designs on their woven fabrics.

The embroideries on the loom are artistic creations that combine tradition and technique, with original designs. The traditional designs and colours are chosen from either existing traditional designs, a figment of the weaver’s imagination or a combination of colours and designs from different places.

Each weaving in the final result bears the personal “stamp” of each weaver.

As far as the patterns are concerned, influences from the East are also detected, with the most characteristic being the carnation, the rose, the tulip and the hyacinth.

The designs can be symbolic, geometric or even nature-inspired. Interest presents the design with the “Good morning” saying that indicates a wish for a good day and luck which, in combination with birds or roosters, has a comforting meaning and that is why it was typical of the girls’ dowry.

The Epirotic identity of weavers is characterized by rich decoration and themes with countless colour combinations and special charm.The basic colours used in Epirotic weaving are blue, green, yellow, red, ecai.

In the weaving process, in order to start the decoration, the designs and the embellishment should be alternated with different coloured fabrics. Each design box on the milimetre paper corresponds to the passage of the corresponding coloured thread through two threads of the warp.

The colours and weaving techniques on carpets and other textiles

The weaving techniques (traditional know-how) and the use of the traditional loom (handmade process), that remain unchanged, contribute to the preservation of the quality and character of the traditional carpets, attracting the lovers of art and handmade. Changes encountered, such as the switch from natural to industrial yarns, chemical dyes instead of natural ones, and changes in designs, represent possible developments in the production process.

The upright loom is the loom where, apart from the traditional carpets, the thicker and sturdier textiles are generally made, such as the bahta, the Mezzovitika, the kilims, etc.

The choice of design and size of the carpet is important to be predetermined before starting the weaving of the carpet in order to have a uniform final appearance.

The choice of threads from the same dye is equally important to maintain a uniform colour tone. That ensures that the colour will remain consistent during and after the manufacturing process. Moreover, ordering all yarns from the same ‘trough’ ensures uniformity of colouring.

Remarkable is the importance of use of good raw material which contributes to the durability and longevity of the carpet. In other words, careful screening of materials is essential to create a quality product.

Carpet weaving, as a whole, therefore requires more effort, time and skill than weaving finer fabrics. The fact that the twine is thick and stretched makes the process considerably more difficult.

The quality of the carpet and its density depends on the knots. High quality means more knots per square metre, which increases the density of the carpet. However, this can also make the process considerably more demanding and time-consuming.