ness places it in another age and the dramatic change in life conditions during the second half of the twentieth century has condemned such constructions to abandonment and extinction (Fig. 24). The Cretan mitata in particular can be counted among the most significant megalithic monuments in Europe. Their perfect static function and aesthetic merits are entirely due to the talents of brilliant, self-taught folk masters.
Earthen Domes and Habitats
List of References Arakadaki, M. 1999-2000, ‘Dry-stone constructions in Eastern Crete. ‘Calyvia’ in the province of North Mirabello’, Cretologica Grammata, vol. 15/16, pp. 249-286 (in Greek). Delighiannakis, M. 2003, The corbelled mitato in Crete: vernacular architecture and monument, Technical Chamber of Greece/ Section of West Crete, Rethimno (in Greek). Kouremenos, C. 1987, ‘Sarakatsanoi’, Greek Traditional Architecture, vol. 5, Melissa, Athens (in Greek). Fiorou, E. 2006, Englouvi, Lefcada, History of a Village. Women Priestesses of Land, the Lentils Feast and the Voltoi, Athens (in Greek). Moutsopoulos, C. 1958, Architectural monuments in the region of ancient Voura. History and morphology, Athens (in Greek). Moutsopoulos, N.C. 1975-77, ‘Karpathos. Historical, topographic and archaeological notes’, Scientific Annals of the School of Architecture, AUTH, vol. 7, pp. 39-744 (in Greek). Moutsopoulos, N.C. 1978-80, ‘The “Drakospita” of SW Euboea. Contribution to their architecture, typology and morphology’, Scientific Annals of the School of Architecture, AUTH, vol. 8, pp. 265-479 (in Greek). Moutsopoulos, N.C. 1989, ‘“Kyphes”; les maisons en encorbellement à caractère particulier, de Chalki au Dodecanèse’, Skopelos Symposium Proceedings “Space and History, Urban Architecture and Space”, Thessaloniki, pp. 157-167. Moutsopoulos, N.C. 2003, ‘Researches on circular constructions, from prehistoric straw huts to the Mycenaean tombs’, Proceedings of the International Convention on Vernacular Architecture of the Balkan Area (Veria, 12-15/10/2000), Thessaloniki, pp. 5-40 (in Greek). Petrakis, G. 1991, ‘The mitata of the plateau of Nidha on Psiloritis’, Taf, Journal of the Technical Chamber of Greece/ Section of East Crete, no. 1, pp. 15-19 (in Greek). Saitas, Y. 1987, ‘Mani’, Greek Traditional Architecture, vol. 5, Melissa, Athens (in Greek). Syrmakesis, C. 1988, The mitata of Crete. Researches on their static function with contemporary methods, Museum of Cretan Ethnology-Research Center, Voroi, Crete (in Greek). Vallianos, A. 2003, Traditional cheese making. The mitata of the central White Mountains, Benaki Museum-Photographic Archive, Athens (bilingual, Greek-English). Vassiliades, D.V. 1955, Introduction to the architecture of the Aegean space, Athens (in Greek). Vassiliades, D.V. 1966, ‘Rural edifices from Nisyros’, Laografia, vol. 24, pp. 343-361 (in Greek). Vassiliades, D.V. 1976, The Cretan Habitat, Hestia, Athens (in Greek). Warren, P. 1973, ‘The Mitata of Nidha and Early Minoan Tholos Tombs’, Archaeological Analecta of Athens, vol. 6, pp. 449-456. Zivas, D. 2003, ‘The ‘vardioles’ of Zakynthos’, Thesaurismata, vol. 33, pp. 303-310 (in Greek).
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Fig. 23: Siphakides mitato in Rouvas Wood, Idi Mountain, still in use (photo by Chachlakis) Fig. 24: Corbelled dome mitato in Rouvas Wood, Crete (photo by Chachlakis)