SIFNOS – Greece

Sifnos is a Greek island located in the Cyclades archipelago in the Aegean Sea. Known for its natural beauty, Sifnos is also famous for the production of handmade ceramics. In fact, Sifnos has a long tradition in the crafting of ceramics, dating back to ancient times. The earliest ceramic pieces found on Sifnos date back to the Cycladic civilization, around 2000-1500BC, thus validating a very long tradition of the craft. In addition to the production of ceramics on the island, there is also evidence of the export of ceramics to other areas. A characteristic example is a marble inscription found in Calabria dated 3rd or 2nd century BC, in the Doric dialect, describing a tax exemption for the Sifnians, which is considered a rare an unique privilege.

The traditional potters of the island work mainly in their traditional workshops. They practice their craft in the old-fashioned way with the use of a potter’s wheel and simple tools and local clay. The modern potters, retaining the untarnished craft that was taught to them by their fathers, but also by modernizing the creation process and creating new forms so as to cover the continuously increasing needs, continue to produce in their workshops that are scattered. All over the island. Thus, along with making the traditional pots each craftsman develops new shapes and forms, and each workshop acquires its own character according to each artist’s aesthetic. The preservation and the transference of knowledge is achieved through apprenticeship, with new aspiring potters learning by the side of the older masters.

The terra-cotta flameware clay is the main ingredient of their creations. When this clay is fired at the correct temperature it acquires its flameproof properties and the various pots made from this clay can be used in electric ovens or wood ovens. Sifnos became synonymous with “Tsoukalas” and the potteries were called “tsikalaria” due to the mass production of the “Tsoukali”, a pot with a high resistance to heat on an open flame. The tsikali became the main cooking pot of the Sifnian family and the most exported product of the island.

The Sifnos Pottery Museum is a cultural center that promotes the island’s cultural identity internationally. Through exhibitions, cultural, and educational events, the museum celebrates the rich tradition of Sifnian ceramics, dating back to the Cycladic civilization. It offers educational programs, including guided tours and initiatives to engage the local community. The museum contributes to the international promotion of Sifnos ceramics and plays a crucial role in preserving the island’s cultural heritage. Simultaneously, the museum hosts cultural, educational, and recreational activities, fostering the island’s cultural identity on a global scale, while creating a lasting cultural legacy for future generations.

Dragatsi Estate, Artemonas, 840 03 Sifnos
(+30) 22840 33661
info@sifnospottery.gr
sifnospottery.gr

Nowadays there are 16 pottery workshops on the island employing about 30 persons. The Sifnos Potters Association was founded in 2001. The need for cooperation as well as extroversion, pushed the potters living and working on the island to join forces in order to serve their common goals and objectives. From that time until today, the Potters Association of Sifnos has come a long way. It has organized ceramic exhibitions with works by its members and with a variety of themes. Sometimes with stimuli from major events of the time, such as the 2004 Olympic games, but also the telling of fairy tales through clay but without missing the subjects of expression that are free for each potter.