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on the behaviour and qualities of birch, as well as
experience and skills to create the reed that is used
for it. As the art of matting came to identify with
the Kapouti community, the villagers decided to
carry on with the tradition after the invasion, but
this time in a different environment and in line
with today’s needs.
The technique of dry stone
The technique of dry stone can be found in the
countryside, the rural landscape and in settlements,
as well as in the historical inner city areas. Such
constructions in the occupied areas have, to
a great extent, disappeared. However, in the
Republic of Cyprus these have been maintained,
especially in the countryside. Today, they can
mostly be found in the mountain areas of Pitsilia,
Soleas and Marathasa, as well as in the semi-
mountainous, wine-producing villages around
Limassol and the Akamas Peninsula settlements.
But they can also be found, to a smaller extent,
in the lowland areas of Kampos Mesaorias and
Larnaca settlements, and in the coastal areas.
Dry stone constructions are created with the use
of large stones, but without the use of binding
mortar (hence the name “dry stone”). They can
be elaborate and clearly visible, such as the
impressive ensembles of scaled crops, or discreet
and humble, such as those used for agricultural
buildings. But they are always aesthetically
pleasing and environmentally friendly. To be able
to apply the dry stone technique, one must have
Matt weaving
