Cultural Landscape

The distribution of the population, the foundation of the Mastorochoria villages and the demarcation of the territory are some of the fundamental anthropogenic actions that have been imposed by natural resources, morphology, external political, historical and economic factors, and human judgement. The Mastorochoria villages began acquiring an integrated form during 16th century when the scattered habitations were assembled into comprehensive settlements. The mountains of Smolikas and Grammos turned the particular complex into an ideal place for the consolidation and development of cultural activity. The oak zones in the middle altitudes provided suitable climatic conditions for permanent residence, while the choice of location was a strategic decision as it provided access to both the Sarantaporos watershed and the upper zones of mountains (Rapakousios 2011:3; Nitsiakos 2008:10-11,20-21; 1998:52; Petronotis & Papageorgiou 2008:50-51; Papageorgiou 2000:16). The experiential approach of the Mastorochoria cultural landscape, which ‘embod[ies] all kinds of relations between environs, individuals and their creations’ (Ganiatsas 2013:61) during the crafting activity of 18th-19th century, is presented in accordance with the thematic units proposed by Vassilis Nitsiakos:

‘Uses of natural resources in the context of traditional productive [technical and other economic] activities’ (1995:181)
The craftsmanship of Mastorochoria is characterized by its direct dependence on natural elements. As a result, Sarantaporos River along with its streams, forests and mountains were imbued with social, spiritual and economic value and became the field craftsmen worked, the main sources of raw materials as well as the means of inspiration, creation and livelihood. The craftsmen appropriated the natural environment in accordance with the needs of both technical skill and societal preservation and function. Stone craftsmen constructed structural elements of use value to organise the space, to open access channels in local and inter-regional level and to consecrate the demarcated residential areas. Whistle, woodcarving and painting craftsmen created large or small scale decorative works of high aesthetic, social, religious and cultural value, since they used several inter-local artistic trends to depict the local traditions, customs and beliefs (Nitsiakos 2008:162-163; Skourtis 2004:20-29). 

In the meantime, the livestock and agricultural activities acquired a complementary character. Their tangible and intangible traces are of significant historic, social and cultural value since they reveal the dynamic role of women in the Mastorochoria communities’ self preservation as well as the inventive ability of inhabitants in adapting themselves to limited space. The domestic livestock and agriculture developed in the continental territory through the implementation of practices of clearing and logging, and arable terraced slopes or ‘pezoules’ (mantels). Meanwhile, cabins, orchards, ‘kiparia’ (vegetable gardens), fruit trees complement the supplementary agricultural activity. It is important to mention that the livestock activity was limited because of the lack of extensive grasslands and the arduous grazing during winter period. The presence of working trees ‘kladera’ at the oak zone demonstrate the predominant animal feed practice. Their irregular appearance represents socio-economic and cultural values and conceals high scientific and informational value, since it enables scientists to understand the survival tactics of prehistoric man. The traditional procedure of animal feed maintains its use value through the community of the village Plikati, which practices both storage (‘kladera’) and stacking (‘thimonies’ or haystacks) techniques. In the surrounding area of the villages sheepfolds and water sources for animal husbandry appear close to pastures (Skourtis 2010:20; Gerasimidis et al. 2009; Nitsiakos 2008:12-13,125-129). Beyond the medium altitudes and the horizontal zone of habitation, forests and river banks have been imbued with the socio-economic value of domestic, woodcutting and commercial economy. According to the toponym Prionia, timber mills have been established for the production of veneer lumber, while their location facilitated the timber transportation mostly towards the rich centres of Albania. Moreover, water mills, water saws and water frictions can be seen along the banks of Sarantaporos and its streams (Nitsiakos 1998:51-52).

‘Operations of natural resources in the organization and management of space’
Outlying churches or icon stands accompanied by sacred trees were common delimiters and protectors of the inhabited area of the Mastorochoria villages. Additionally, solitary trees in the periphery of the settlements have been marked with spiritual andsocial value as they signified ‘the borders [of craftsmen, where the localization ends] and the amorphous field of foreign lands begins’. The ownership of the natural environment becomes apparent even in the interior of the villages. People domesticated trees by importing them from rivers, distant mountains or other regions (Stara, Tsiakiris & Wong 2014; Skourtis 2009:27-28; Tarnanas 1998:77; Nitsiakos 1998:56-57; 1995:105,181).

‘Sacred and mythical places’
The inhabitants combined the natural with the supernatural world as a result of Christian influences, which played an imperative role in pre-industrial cultures. The strong influence of the sacred along with a highly developed ecological awareness of societies contributed to the invention of taboos. Cutting the trees or any other human activity were discouraged with penalties of supernatural punishment by the protector saint to whom the site or the tree was dedicated. For this reason sacred natural sites were often close to outlying churches or icon stands on the edge of Mastorochoria settlements. Moreover, the sacrosanct protection of forest sites, or ‘kouri’, or ‘vakoufika’, which are located above the settlements, were connected to the retention of soil and water (Stara, Tsiakiris & Wong 2014; Stara 2012; Skourtis 2010:23-27; Nitsiakos 1998:74; 1995:179-181).

‘Places of historic significance’
The mountains of the Mastorochoria territory played a leading role in many historic battles of 19th and 20th century. The traces of these historic events during several periods of war in the area have faded. Yet the partly preserved tangible and intangible elements maintain the historical value of the cultural landscape and narrate the historic development of Mastorochoria and the long-term coexistence of cultures under loyalist conditions. The historical trace that is strongly discernible even today in the Mastorochoria cultural landscape is the border line between Greece and the rest of the Balkan Peninsula, which delimited the multiethnic, spatial and cultural entity of Epirus after Balkan Wars and forced the integration of the communities into new systems of administration (Sakoulis 2011:42-43; Sinanis 2010:23; Tasiopoulou 2009:41; Bousbouras 2000:30; Nitsiakos 1998:84; 1995:181).

‘Places [and natural elements] connected with particular cultural events’
Festivities were the most significant traditions of the Mastorochoria communities. Along with the celebration of the patron saint of the village they also celebrated the return of the masters from the foreign lands. Many festivities took place near the streams and under the foliage, where the reconciliation of religious worship and social reintegration under the sound of the local traditional music endowed the natural environment with a profound spiritual value. Even nowadays the local communities along with the younger generations revive the old customs and traditions by incorporating contemporary elements. This social reunification is of particular importance to the members of the local communities that are dispersed throughout Greece (Nitsiakos 2008:189; 1995:181; Drosopigi Fraternity 2004a:3; 2004b:4).

The Mastorochoria landscape has seen severe destruction but maintains all the elements and structures of its crafting legacy that could inspire the future development of innovative actions by infusing the area with new life. However, a detailed study of the Mastorochoria cultural landscape is necessary in order to detect all the cultural manifestations reflected in the environment or in memories and to precisely define its unique polysemy. In the meantime, it is primarily ordering the historical analysis of Mastorochoria, since the historical changes customized, through destruction and construction processes, the ways the area has been settled and used, and introduced alterations in the community organisation (Zomeni, Tzanopoulos & Pantis 2008).