Folk art

Folk art

Traditional Cypriot Occupations

Throughout the years, arts and crafts helped develop a variety of traditional occupations in Cyprus. Most of these arts and crafts have perished over time, however there are still a few people in different villages who have kept their traditions and still continue to do these occupations.

Potters

A potter created vessels and items which were used for clean practical purposes such as placing water or wine in them, as well as religious reasons.

 

Clairvoyants or Tinkers

Cypriot Chair Making

cyprus chair making
traditional cyprus chairs

The famous Cypriot wooden chairs are made in the village of Fini. Chair making was a difficult occupation that is why only one villager is involved with their creation. Charalambos Charalambous is the only villager who has kept this traditional art alive in Fini.

Traditional Cypriot House

cyprus house
traditional house

A piece of the Cypriot tradition is also architecture. During the 1th century until the 20th century, the residents of Cyprus used wood, stones and mud bricks. Mud bricks were made from straw and mud which the residents themselves built. The roof was made of reeds and thick wood pieces which were usually from olive and oak trees. During the beginning of the 20th century the houses in the towns also began to use steel for the construction of the houses.

Traditional ‘Shepard Vourka’

shepard vourka
vourka

The Fini village developed a special and large tradition in the creation of the traditional vourka, whose history is lost during the centuries. During the last few years this art had been well known mainly to the men shepherds of the community who created sacks for wine in a similar way.

Cyprus Pottery

fini pottery
fini traditional
pottery of fini

The potters and their art processed the clay in order to satisfy the needs of the people for storage, transportation and maintenance of their products. Until the Turkish invasion in 1974, the island’s heart of potter were the following villages:

 

  • Varosi
  • Lapythos
  • Kornos
  • Fini

 

Cyprus Weaving

Fythiotika weaving
weaving cyprus
Weaving of Fyti

The art of weaving is mainly exercised by women but also by a few men called “Anyfades”. Earlier on each house in the village had its own argyle and was used for the creation of the weave along with wool, cotton, silk and flax.

Fythkiotiko is the most well-known type of Cypriot weaving. The name comes from the village of Fyti which seems to have played an important role in its development. The Fythkiotika are characterized by multicolored geometrical embossed or plumes, as they are called by the weavers which are formed into cotton material of natural color.

Cyprus Embroidery

cyprus embroidery
lace making cyprus
lefkaritika cyprus
red embroidery cyprus

Embroidery

The embroidery art of Cyprus and the Cypriot embroidery items are famous all over the world. The materials which were used were cotton, flax and silk. Lace “Reticello” received an excellent position in the trade from an early time. Even in our days it is known and famous by the name of “Lefkaritika”. The main areas where embroidery bloomed were Lefkara, Omodos and Athienou.

The types of embroidery are many. According to their color they can be divided into two large categories:

Pipilla of Omodos

omodos pipilla
pipilla of omodos
pipilla of omodos

The Cyprus outdoors is famous for its preservation of the traditional lifestyle, the morals and the customs as well as the hospitality of its inhabitants. Each village has its own characteristics. The village of Omodos in the Limassol district ,  is not only well known for its wine and its arkatena pretzels, but also for its lace, the famous pipilles.