THE PACKSADDLE - A LIVING TRADITION ON MOUNT PELION

THE PACKSADDLE – A LIVING TRADITION ON MOUNT PELION

© 1983, Helen Fay Stamati
Art Director, Chrisa Daskapoloulou
Published by Estia, Athens

 

 

The Greek version is out of print, the English and French book are available only at the Local Museum.

The text is the result of the close collaboration with Vanguelis Katarzis, the local packsaddle maker from Milies and me. It tells of how the wooden frame is carved, how the mattress is cut, sewn and fitted into the frame, how leather is added before the packsaddle is finally ready.

As the reader follows the descriptions of making the packsaddle and looks at the many photos, he discovers the skill required to
create a packsaddle that will not hurt the animal as it goes up and down the cobbled paths heavily loaded.

Exhibitions

As a main point of interest the packsaddle, we thought of creating an exhibition about Milies that would help visitors acquire a brief knowledge of the cultural heritage of the village.

Exhibitions were on show

  • In Volos
  • In Athens
  • In Nafplion, under the auspices of the Peloponnesian Foundation
  • At the annex of the Ethnographic Museum of Geneva, Switzerland
  • At the cultural Center of Nicosia Cyprus


The packsaddle kit goes abroad. 

I studied and designed a museum kit for the packsaddle which I presented at the Paris International Conference organized by
ICOM.