Abstracts of the 2nd Interdisciplinary Interuniversity Conference of the N.T.U.A.
"Technology, Culture/Civilisation and Decentralisation"
D. Rokos,
Professor, N.T.U.A., Remote Sensing Laboratory, N.T.U.A.
Metsovion Interdisciplinary Research
Centre (M.I.R.C), N.T.U.A.
Civilisation, as the total social heritage of material and spiritual values and
phenomena created by humanity in the course of its history, evidently contains
both technology and decentralisation (as a form of economic, social and
political organisation).
Consequently, the civilisation of each social group and each nation
characterises, in each historical period, their level of development in the
fields of science and technology, education, letters and arts, ideas,
philosophy, ethics and related institutions in general, in the way that these are always related to, interdependent and
interacting with the values, the mode and the relations of production, distribution
and consumption of material goods.
This paper attempts, in the current specific social and political
conditions of absolute market dominance, a critical consideration, approach and
analysis of technology, civilisation and decentralisation, through the prism of
both the fundamental assertion of historical materialism, according to which
“the mode of production of material goods constitutes the foundation of all of
society’s social and spiritual life” and consequently, of civilisation as a
social phenomenon, and of the basic conception of idealistic philosophy,
according to which the development of civilisation has been based solely “on
consciousness, on spirit, on the actions of ingenious personalities, etc.”
In this context, an integrated investigation of the multidimensional
relations, interdependencies, and interactions of technology, civilisation and
decentralisation is attempted, in the way that these are established, evolve,
are transformed and distorted under the global, now, regime of market monocracy
and globalisation, and of their absolute dominance in society and politics.
The reason is that today, technology, as a crossroads and creative
synthesis of elements of both the spiritual (ideas, science, research,
education, politics) and the material (practical experience, mode of
production) dimensions of civilisation, tends, in the absence of a critical
evaluation of the purpose, necessity and usefulness of its findings, to serve,
mainly and exclusively, market interests, contributing to the development of a
distorted modern civilisation of fierce competition and “new products and
services”.
In this direction, beyond and irrespectively of society’s real needs,
the marketcreates, boisterously promotes and finally
imposes new –usually fictitious- needs, while governments and transnational organisations create the necessary
presuppositions (rendering of the greatest part of national and transnational resources, multidimensional encouragement,
and also, funding of related research and adjunct innovating activities etc.),
for technology to satisfy them, by providing constantly “modernised” new
products and services of the broadest possible consumption.
Inevitable consequences of such a process are:
·
the rapidly expanding and
continuously and limitlessly intensified concentration, centralisation and
accumulation of capital, population and entrepreneurial activities, both
spatially and temporally, (or decentralisation, only when the exploitation of
human and natural resources of the periphery is safe in the long run and
exceptionally profitable), always with unfavourable impacts on the natural and
social environment,
·
the consecutive mergencies of big transnational
-mainly, but not only high-tech- companies and the suffocating and
one-dimensional guiding of technology by their constantly expanding markets,
·
the often rediculous and undocumented apotheosis of “the private” as
opposed to “the social”,
·
the levelling imposition, at
the global level, of uniform and massive standards of life and civilisation,
and of production, distribution and consumption models
·
the gradual elimination of
local cultures and traditions and
·
the inevitable interlacement of the interests of the new -post-bipolar-
order of the one remaining superpower, the market and its subsidiary mass media
and information networks, with those of their political servants and their
mercenaries or “ideologist” apologists.
Finally,
conclusions are drawn and proposals are formulated for the restoration of “the
norm” in the relation of technology to civilisation and decentralisation:
·
through the accentuation of
the potentially catalytic role of active, conscious and responsible citizens as
creators, scientists, producers and employees and of the existing and real
possibilities of their effective contribution,
·
through the restoration of
the values of politics as an affair of the citizens, and as an ethical action
and not a market “instrument”,
·
through the strengthening of
social cohesion as a factor of integrated development, which “will either be
simultaneously social, economic, political, technical/technological, cultural
and respectfully and dialectically harmonious with the natural and cultural
environment or will not exist at all”, and most importantly,
·
through creative opposition to the degeneration of education/learning/culture
to one-dimensional technical professional training of cheap, expendable, and
flexible “employables”, destined -unless they want to
be unemployed and marginalised- to unprotestedly
support the choices of the uncontrolled and limitless competition of the globalised market.
Pour une approche interdisciplinaire des cultures
régionales.
Problèmes de théorie et de méthode.
E.Kapsomenos
L’ étude des cultures
régionales doit envisager, au préalable, et resoudre quelques
problèmes théoriques et méthodologiques importants. Le
prémier est à quelles domaines de recherche correspond la
culture; pourquoi une approche interdisciplinaire?
Suivant la théorie
sémiotique des phénomènes culturels, la culture est
conçue comme un système sémiotique complexe, comprenant
plusieurs systèmes particuliers, qui correspondent aux plusieurs
domaines cognitifs, c’ est-à-dire, aux plusieurs domaines de recherche
scientifique; d’ où provient la neccessité d’ une recherche interdisciplinaire
et d’ une approche synchronique des phénomènes et des structures
culturelles.
Les systèmes qui
constituent l’ espace à rechercher peuvent se regrouper en trois
ensembles: a. ceux qui se réfèrent à la nature comme entourage de l’ homme et lieu où s’ exercent
les activités de la société humaine; b. ceux qui
correspondent à la société et ses activités
socio-economiques; c. ceux qui comprennent les expressions et la
productivité culturelles.
La deuxième question
théorique et méthodologique est comment s’ articulent entre eux ces
trois domaines!
Nous avons déjà
proposé, dans nos études socio-sémiotiques de la
littérature, (voir les références ci-dessous), le schema
suivant: a. les rapports entre la base sociale et les phénomènes
culturels sont d’ ordre métonymique;
b. les relations entre les structures et systèmes qui appartiennent
au même niveau, celui de la productivité culturelle, sont d’ ordre
métaphorique. Nous pouvons
maintenant completer ce schema par la constatation que les relations qui
unissent le niveau de la nature au celui de la société sont aussi
d’ ordre
métonymique.
Cette articulation de trois
domaines à rechercher, peut orienter la mise en rapport et la
combinaison des donnés de la recherche interdiscriplinaire. La
troisième question porte sur la méthode d’ homologation des
resultats.
Pour envisager ce
problème, on a besoin d’ une perspective généralisante
commune, comme celle de la théorie semiotique des systèmes
culturels, qui conçoit la culture comme système semiotique et
sémantique. Dans cette perspective méthodologique, l’
homologation des resultats peut s’ effectuer au niveau sémantique.
La dernière question porte
sur les critères typologiques qui peuvent faire ressortir les traits
pertinents de la culture regionale, où se marque la coherence interne et
l’ orientation culturelle du système.
L’ experience de
recherche dans certains domaines des sciences humaines nous a
démontré que la relation binaire nature vs culture assume plusieurs rapports homoloques
fondamentales qui se réfèrent à une isotopie cosmologique au moyen de laquelle s’ exprime la vision du monde de la société. En correlation
étroite avec le pair nature vs
culture se troure le pair individu vs
société, qui se réfère à une isotopie sociale, au moyen de laquelle
s’ exprime l’ idéologie de la société regionale.
Environmentally
sustainable selections, for an integrated
development of mountain areas.
Contemporary means and tools
A. Athanasouli, Architect, Dr. Urban and Regional Planning, Senior Consultant of the
Minister of the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works
The recognition of the
importance of mountain areas, as well as new approaches to their development, are explicitly referred to in chapter 13, Agenda 21 of the
Rio Declaration. It was the first time the whole issue of “Sustainable
Development for Mountain Areas” was raised.
New approaches to the development of mountainous areas, which are
reinforced by the need for protection of the mountains’ natural environment,
historical and cultural heritage, have already appeared at European and
International level.
The design of a specialised development strategy, which conforms to the
needs and special characteristics of mountain areas, via an integrated and multisectoral approach, is therefore being applied.
This paper begins with an analytical report on the special
characteristics of mountain areas (tremendous biodiversity, sensitive
ecosystems, tradition and cultural wealth).
It goes on with the presentation of development tendencies and pressures
imposed on mountain areas and their impact on natural and human ecosystems.
Specific policies and activities, which are intended to harmonise development
policies and selections with the objectives and principles of sustainable
development, as well as contemporary supporting means and tools, are finally
proposed.
Local culture,
endogenous development and educational policy
H. Sianou-Kyrgiou, Assistant Professor,
The present project refers
to the intricate relation among local culture, endogenous development and
educational policy. We accept the given contribution of local culture to
economic and social development, as well as the special meaning of cultural
policy and of the economy of culture for its utilisation. This project, though,
is based on the well-founded hypothesis that utilisation depends highly on
educational policy, since the functions of education play a primary role in
every form of developmental procedure and in every form procedure related to
cultural reproduction. Specifically, the analysis that follows briefly
describes data that come from the critical approach to the educational policy
followed in
The attempted decentralisation of the educational system is limited to
transposing responsibilities of lesser importance, while central control is reinforced
in indirect ways, especially through internal changes in the system of
supervision and administration. The university, in particular, is subject to
the consequences of its functional transformation and of the lack of national
planning for basic and applied research, that is the
prerequisite for the utilisation of the elements comprising local culture. In a
first attempt to explain the data, we come to the conclusion that the
educational policy facilitates the penetration of the market force in education,
something that is necessary for the accumulation of capital and for cultural
reproduction, rather than for the utilisation of local culture through
endogenous development.
Information
technologies underpinning access to cultural
heritage and decentralisation
N. Mitrou,
Associate Professor, Telecommunications Laboratory,
Computer Science Division, N.T.U.A.
Technology, cultural heritage
and decentralization, the
three keywords of the present conference, are also keywords of this presentation.
It examines, in particular, the role of the telecommunication and computer
technologies, now unified as telematics, in facilitating the access to cultural heritage
and decentralization. The topic is extremely broad, thus only an outline of it
will be presented here, with emphasis on the latest developments of digital
technologies and their sound applications.
A Telemedicine system satisfying needs of the
inhabitants
of isolated areas
N. K. Uzounoglou,
Professor, Director,
Computer Systems, N.T.U.A.
V.E. Kouloulias, Physisist, PhD Electrical Engineering, MD, Institute of
Communication and
Computer Systems, N.T.U.A.
The continuous development
of telematics and information systems technology has
created the framework for the development of a wide range of applications.
Telemedicine, one of the most important and rapidly growing areas, enables the
entire health sector to benefit from access to telematics
services.
In this work, an integrated telemedicine system
was developed. This system aims to provide effective health care services in
isolated places, such as the widely spread Aegean
·
a multimedia personal computer
·
a Windows based software for the storage, management and transmission of
medical data
·
an electronic
photometer for blood sample analysis
·
a microscope equipped with a
high resolution colour CCD camera
·
a digital electrocardiograph
·
a high speed modem
The software installed automatically collects
data from the medical devices connected and from the medical practitioners’
diagnosis and stores them in a multimedia relational database. The fixed
telecommunication network of the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation is
used for the transmission of multimedia records (medical microscope image, EEG,
patient’s personal records, blood sample analysis, plain radiography and other
radiological medical data). The medical data transmitted are collected in central
sites (hospitals) where they are evaluated by specialised physicians. After the
medical data processing, results are transmitted back to the peripheral station
for the patients’ health care management.
The specified system
is based on existing technology and has an affordable cost for small and medium
size medical units. It is fully expandable to a diagnosis support system (with
several add-on, such as specialised image processing
software).
Using GIS
technology in investigating Emergency Medical
Response
E. Dimopoulou,
Dr.
Surveying Engineer, Laboratory of Photogrammetry, NTUA
J. Androulakis,
Professor, Department
of Surgery,
N. Polydorides,
Professor, Laboratory
of Architectural Technology and Spatial Planning,
GIS technology can be useful
for investigating the geographic distribution of emergency cases, such as
Trauma incidents and medical facilities provided. This paper evaluates Trauma
data for the Region of Western Greece, as part of a funded Research Program
elaborated by the Department of Surgery and the Laboratory of Architectural
Technology and Spatial Planning of the
Based upon the above
results, along with the experience gained by the study, a project can be
designed with the objective of improving emergency medical treatment for the
The rediscovery of
mountainous archaeological sites
forming historical cultural
entities in
The possibilities of modern
technologies
E. Stournas
- Triantis,
Architect, M. Arch. PhD
The research programme
described above aims at the use of modern technologies in order to enhance our
existing knowledge on the relation of individual archaeological sites and
monuments in mountainous regions of
The sites to be studied in
The following regions have been selected, each combined with archeological remains of a particular historic period:
a)
b)
c)
The outcome of this project will be produced
for each site and presented in the following forms:
Printed material
·
Information documents and
pamphlets
·
Site maps and
·
Access routes diagrams
Documentation through multi media (CD-ROM, Video, WWW.page).
This
material will be used to broaden public
awareness and as a means of approaching unknown sites belonging to the
European cultural Heritage by means of:
a) The electronic network
b) The organization
of international cultural events.
(Lectures, performances, festivals, e.t.c.)
c) Organized visits to the sites in concern
(European Cultural Routes) provided that accessibility is assured.
The
Conservation, Promotion and Protection of the Monuments
of Nature and Culture as a component
of the sustainable
development of Mountainous
G. Panagiaris, Dr. Biologist, Professor T.E.I. of
of Antiquities and
Works of Art.
The creation of the
Alpine Ridges has resulted in the formation of
and of narrow flat or hilly coastal zones.
So, our country which 4/5 of
its mass is mountainous
or semi-mountainous terrain is characterised by its rapidly
changing landscape and geological formations, a variety of circumstances and
geographical isolation of small regions to such a large degree which is not
prominent in any other Mediterranean country.
The Greek climate is a mixture of different
micro-climates which lead to a variety in fauna and flora.
All the above combined with
Just these factors are the
main resources for the sustainable development of these regions, especially
there where the geomorphology doesn’t allow rich and yieldy
development of primary production sector.
Their conservation,
promotion and protection are the main requirements, not only for the resources
to remain unchanged and profitable but for the preservation of the collective
memory of the local community and for the formation of particular behaviour
which could support the sustainability.
In this paper an effort has
been made to clarify the economic and developmental role of the natural and
cultural heritage of Mountainous Greece.
What is being described is
the history of conservation of natural and cultural heritage from “the period
of adoration of the object” to “ the period of
survival of its information” focused on the modern developmental role of
conservation works via activities of education, research, promotion and
protection of nature and culture.
Examples of the above are
presented and commented on from all mountainous regions of the country.
A
Zerzoulis's letter to Balanos
Vassilopoulos (1754)
K. Petsios,
Lecturer
of Philosophy,
Section of Philosophy, University of Ioannina.
The aim of this essay
is to explain the positions, which are expressed by Neo-Hellene philosopher Nikolaos Zerzoulis (1710-1773) in
a letter (1754) to his old teacher, Balanos
Vassilopoulos in Ioannina. The opportunity was given
by the presentation of "the solution of the Delion
problem", by Balanos Vassilopoulos, to the
Academies of Europe. Zerzoulis makes some remarks,
which allow us to form a clear opinion on the condition of Education during the
Musical groups of the
community of mountainous areas
The example of Metsovo
Á.
Ìane, PhD Candidate, Laography Section,
Department of History and Archaeology,
Musical groups are an element of conservation of the
cultural tradition of mountainous areas. In this paper, I will be referring to
the music of the “solotechnical” groups,
that is the musical groups that form part of the social life of the inhabitants
of the countryside, as well as the cities, and to their courses in time
and place, which accompany people’s social sensitivity.
The musical groups (keep and) create the local version of the musical
legacy -a piece of national heritage- making social aspects known, together
with their economic identity, but mostly, with the magnitude and the character
of civilisation.
The study of the local musical tradition becomes of particular importance, when it incubates social, financial and cultural history. Traditional life, social relationships, the bonding with both tradition and development mark the cultural reality of the function of a musical group within the social context. Thus, the history of the musical groups, with personal versions and social peculiarities, markedly outlines local history.
Votonosi
History, legends and traditions, a journey from the depths of the
centuries until today,
bonds and connections with Metsovo
Tr. Sioulis, Instructor, PhD Candidate, Department of History and
Archaeology,
With this essay, an attempt is made to introduce the history of the
village Votonosi, its connection and its bonds with Metsovo, along with their common journey from the depths of
the centuries until today. Also, there is an attempt to refer to the legends
and the traditions created by the imagination of the village people or based on
historic or other events.
In
the beginning, a detailed description of the village is presented, along with a
parallel reference to today’s reality, to the increases and decreases of the
population, and the occupations of the inhabitants.
A
historic retrospection is then attempted, which starts from the Ancient Ages
and continues into the Roman and Byzantine times, the years of Turkish rule and
later the modern years.
In this framework, evidence of valid
researchers and archaeologists, referring to the archaeological findings which
have survived, and information on the epochs which these findings represent,
are presented. Also, there is a reference to the walls which lie near a hill of
the village and confirm the existence of a population in the area from the
Prehistoric Ages until the Roman Ages, while historic sources confirm the
continuous existence and the active life of the inhabitants in the area during
the Byzantine years, much more during the years of the Turkish Empire and later
in the modern years.
Specifically, for the years of Turkish
rule and the modern years, the historic sources refer mainly to Metsovo, but with explicit references to the villages
around it, among them Votonosi, which after a period
of time follows the historic destiny of the wider area around it, with Metsovo of today as Capital. The latter’s ancients
inhabitants, as is shown, lived in the area of Votonosi
and gradually, for several reasons, many of them left to reach and live in the
area today called Metsovo.
There is an attempt in some way to prove
and support the assertion which implies that the descent and origin of the
inhabitants of Votonosi and Metsovo
are common, an event which is confirmed by historic evidence, but is also
connected with common customs, habits, language, last names, relationships,
names of places etc., which are refer to bonds existing for centuries.
The various-type development
of Metsovo and its part
in the new economy and geography
F. Malkides,
PhD Candidate, Sociology Department,
For at
least fifty years, a large region of the Greek state,
The reasons were that the area, due to cold war
facts, was capable of accepting as indispensable plans, only military ones, but
mainly, that the centre, after the civil war, realised a policy of
concentration in
During that period, a historic community of
After 1989, a year which
brought changes all over the world,
Yet, during the previous
period,
Now Metsovo
will be restricted to its touristic role and to the
“weekend escape”. The emigration of its youngsters, either abroad or to
In
this paper, after a historical analysis of
A network of local rambler
trails in
A proposition towards
sustainable development of the Metsovo area
G. Tsotsos,
Surveying
Engineer, PhD Candidate
C. Kousidonis,
Architect,
Regional Planner, PhD
E. Dimitriadis,
Associate
Professor, School of Architecture,
The paper
investigates the feasibility of a network of local rambler trails in the
greater Metsovo area, in the region of
Further on, the necessary conditions and repercussions of the proposed network in relation to the settlement system and administrative areas are examined. The administrative areas have undergone a major restructuring through the 1997 law, known as Kapodistrias, concerning the local administration in both its administrative and spatial planning dimensions. The paper addresses the Local Administration Organizations (‘dimi’ and ‘kinotites’) with the opportunity to evaluate the establishment of the proposed network in the competitive context of tourist development as a means for attaining sustainability.
Bioresource Utilization for Sustainable Development in the Metsovo
Area
E. Koukios, Professor N.T.U.A.
E. Avgerinos, Chemical Engineer, PhD Candidate, N.T.U.A.
Students and Members of the Bioresource Technology Unit
Department of
Chemical Engineering, N.T.U.A.
This study is the result of
series of student papers prepared by Undergradute
Students and supervised by Graduate Students at the Department of Chemical
Engineering, National Technical University of Athens. The whole exercise took
place in the framework of the course: “Biomass Utilization” (9th Semester, Part of the Organic Industries
Option). The aim of the particular studies was to further investigate the
relationship between technology, culture and decentralisation in the specific
technological field, focusing on the case of the Metsovo
area.
The whole “package” of studies aims at an evaluation of the current
situation and the prospects of future developments within three major local fields
of the economy: agriculture and agro-industry, animal farming and respective
industry, as well as forestry and wood industry.
The capacity of local agriculture in growing conventional crops is
limited, so the possibility of growing aromatic plants for a production of
essential oils and other high-value products was examined. As a mountain area, Metsovo has the potential for animal farming, nevertheless
of limited quality and quantity spectrum. In the field of wood production and
conversion, we have identified a rather insufficient use of the local
production capacities of forests (137 km2 - utilization only 0.98 m3/km2/year).
Other interesting issues studied included the potential application of
new bioenergy technologies, wastewater treatment, and
possibilitites for industrial growth based on the use
of local biological resources, e.g. of a pulp-and-paper mill.
Bioenergy
utilization is extremely important for the whole area, as a means to cover the
local energy needs in an environmental friendly way. Such potential bioenergy applications include district heating of houses
in the municipality, small mobile biomass pyrolysis
unit, as well as biomass combustion for household use, in addition to
production of biogas and bio ethanol by anaerobic digestion of cheese whey and
liquid waste from animal breeding.
Installation of a pulp-and-paper mill in the area could permit
utilization of wood resources from the surrounding regions as well, with the
limiting factor being the economics of production.
In
a final study, the students examined the relationship between the
eco-development and eco-tourism in Metsovo, taking
into account the local ecosystem as well as the local priorities: use of
natural resources, protection of the environment, quality of life, traditions,
and sustainable development.
Cluster for
recreation in Metsovo, led by the restoration and
reuse of a traditional
water-mill
N. Kordali,
Architecture Engineer, N.T.U.A.
The
theme of this study is placed in Metsovo,
specifically at the foot of the steep slope where the picturesque town is
perched. The occasion has been an abandoned water-mill, one of those that
someone often meets by the rivers throughout the greek countryside and whose traces disappear as time
passes by. The water-mill was used almost exclusively for the grinding of
cereals. Its construction consisted of a simple rectangular building, which was
housing the mechanisms, the focal point of the mill: a mobility mechanism with a paddle-wheel and a grinding mechanism with millstones. The need for constructions for
gathering, storing and channeling water greatly
increased the cost of building and conserving the whole system.
The restoration of a building destined to house a specific function (the
need for which no longer exists) is a point of particular speculation.
Considering that with the choice of a solution that deprives a building, which
is located outside the inhabited area and cannot be very easily approached, of
its usage character, you are essentially issuing its death sentence, the effort
focused on the support of the use of the mill, framed by other equivalent uses
and the creation of the constructions necessary for them. The whole theme is a
game of multiple balances: the usage building of the mill must keep its character,
despite the changes in needs that time has effected.
On the other hand, you have to attract people, in spite of the long distance
from the town and fill the building with life. Simultaneously, the possible new
uses and constructions should obey the basic principle followed by the preexisting mill, the Need,
while, at the same time, you ought to i) respect the
balance which is defined by nature and the old building, which literally
vanishes into the landscape and ii) ensure that the presence of modern
constructions is clearly signified, without imitating, though at the same time,
it must blend in the existing environment (structured or not), without
insulting or rivaling it, but harmoniously
coexisting.
The main trunk of the solution that was chosen is a route which leads from Metsovo to my
cluster and crosses the road that joins the monasteries of Virgin Maria and
Saint Nikolaos, making the “Mill” a binding ring and
a pleasant intermediate stop. The water-mill and the area around it are
converted to a place of recreation. The building itself, keeping one of the two
preexistent mechanisms in operation, hosts a traditional pasta-making workshop which,
beyond its educational character, can also yield economic benefits for the
Municipality, where it belongs.
A new building, beside the old mill, houses a generator to produce electric power in order to cover the needs of
the cluster. Its function leans on the same principle with that of the mill,
i.e. the conversion of the water’s dynamic energy into motional energy by means
of a paddle-wheel and finally, into electricity (for the case of the
generator). Emphasizing the educational content of the cluster, there is, in
the same building, an exhibition of
the various manners of using water potential though time (water-mills,
water-saw-mills, etc.). Another, bigger building is located between the
building of generator and the river, containing a refreshment-room and restaurant, supplied with the appropriate
auxiliary spaces and external and internal sitting-rooms (so that it can be
used in all seasons), with an amazing view of the forest and the town of Metsovo, which literally hangs over your head.
Special attention is given to the clear differentiation of the new buildings from the older ones, by means of the different technology and materials that are used for their realization (wood and copper leaves for the coverage of roofs), whose selection had, as main rule, their harmonization with the sensitive natural environment.
The buildings are connected by shelters and wooden floors that prescribe
stops as well as specific routes, in which the
straight line that is traced with a direction of North to South dominates
and daringly extends over the river, in response to the call of the opposite
shore, to cross the river and enjoy its own charms. The wooden bridge offers
views of unique beauty (like the little water-falls of the dam of Metsovitikos river), in themselves a reason for getting
from Metsovo down to the “Mill”, while at the same
time, it makes the cluster a connective point between the town and the opposite
slope with its village (Anilio). The walk can be
continued to the small
Surely, every issue can be faced in countless ways. My suggestion means
to serve the passer-by or the indigenous inhabitant of Metsovo
of today, not by inviting them to the depth of the gorge just to show how our
grandfathers were grinding cereals years ago, but rather, longing for the
central part that the river with its small industries once used to play for the
life of the community, it vindicates -for the Mill- the position of a life knot
that separates and joins elements inside and outside the town.
Open air hydrological museum in Anthochori, Metsovo
S. Voyadjis, Architect, PhD,
N.T.U.A.
In
This paper presents proposals for the conservation and rehabilitation
of the water mill of Anthochori and the construction
of an open air hydrological museum.
Development of a multimedia
Land Information System
for the registration, presentation, protection and
maintenance of
A. Gogos, Rural and Surveying Engineer
J. Yannelos,
Rural and Surveying Engineer
C. Danielides,
PhD Candidate, N.T.U.A.
A. Labropoulos,
PhD Candidate, N.T.U.A.
P. Zentelis,
Assistant Professor, N.T.U.A.
Laboratory of Photogrammetry,
N.T.U.A.
Churches
and monasteries in
This project develops a multimedia (using audiovisual information such
as pictures, video-clips and sound-clips) Land
Information System, in order to present, to register, to protect and to
maintain the holly temples and monasteries of Metsovo
County, which consists of the Municipality of Metsovo
(with 13 churches and 2 monasteries), and the Communities of Anelio (4 churches), Anthohori (2
churches), Votonossi (2 churches), Milea (3 churches) and Chrissovitsa
(2 churches). Additionally, one isolated monastery is located in Anthohori and another near Zagorochoria.
The
system’s main objective was to link geographical to descriptive information,
such as pictures, comments and explanatory text, in a way that data-access and
retrieval would be facilitated even for an inexperienced user. The system’s
database is structured in a way that geographical data can be accessed easily
in various ways. The most important aspect of the system is that this database
can be expanded and brought up to date anytime, according to the user’s needs,
so that the information provided, should always be useful.
Development of a Land
Information System using Multimedia to create a Civilisation Guide for
M. Alexandrou,
Rural and Surveying Engineer
C. Danielidis,
PhD Candidate, N.T.U.A.
A. Labropoulos,
PhD Candidate, N.T.U.A.
P. Zentelis,
Assistant Professor, N.T.U.A.
Laboratory of Photogrammetry,
N.T.U.A.
This
project developed a multimedia Land Information System. The application was
focused on
The project’s interface was designed to be user-friendly, and was
structured in an expandable an updateable way, enabling its use in the future.
The multimedia data included in the system consists of
digitized audiovisual information such as pictures, video-clips, music and
sound-clips. These data topics refer to people’s everyday activities and
civilisation issues of
For the system’s operation, a database (tables containing entities’
attributes) was structured in order to link entities to the corespondent
attributes and multimedia data. The
environment chosen for developing the system was G.I.S. ArcView
3.0, due to its user-friendly interface as well as its expanding and updating
ability.
As a result to the system’s specialized design, which was described
above, the application is easy to use and the information included can be
retrieved just by clicking on a tool or a menu, without demanding any
specialized knowledge in computer use.
The application described has the potential to be used by any individual
user interested in knowing more about Metsovo County,
but also, by local authorities as a means of better organizing and developing
the district.
Ôechnical-geological conditions and technical-geological map
of the city of
N. Fytrolakis,
Professor, Division of Geological Sciences
M. Antoniou,
Assistant Professor, Division of Geological Sciences
Department of Mining Engineering and Metallurgy, N.T.U.A.
This study was carried out
as a scientific offer of the Technical University of Athensto
the city of Metsovo. It is composed of a
technical-geological map of the Metsovo city area, at
scale 1:2.500. The Technical-geological map and a city planning diagram have
been deposited at the town-hall. This city planning diagram shows the main
sites of the city in which crevices or deformations appear on buildings’ walls
(coloured and at scale 1:2.500).
The geological formations were differentiated
in four main lithological unities, according to the rock which predominates in
each one (thickbedded mudstones and sandstones, thinbedded mudstones, alternation of shales and thinbedded mudstones and beds of clay shales and marls).
Besides these primary formations, two secondary ones have been distinguished,
namely old and recent moved soil-masses and the mantle of rock waste. Each one
is characterized by a different mechanical behaviour.
Generally, the most serious problems in
building and construction of technical works, is expected to be confronted in
the eastern and southern part of the city. All these problems are due to the
reduced shearing strength of the soils and by extension, to their sliding
tendency.
Buildings with crevices and deformations on the
walls are mainly localized in the same areas.
Foundation with cast in situ piles is suggested
in the cases that the soil creeping goes relatively deep into the ground.
In the dipping beds of the thickbedded
and thinbedded mudstones with the shale alternations,
foundation on a base slab of concrete, which must be laid on a flat and clean
background, is suggested.
In order to prevent and restrict phenomena of
soil-masses creeping and sliding, the drainage of rain and spring gushing up
water is suggested. City authorities as well as private citizens can be
involved in the above matter.
No earthquake epicentres exist in the Metsovo city area, but the area is shaken by earthquakes, the epicentres of which can be located in adjoining areas. Building strains due to the earthquakes which happen from time to time affect the buildings cumulatively and cause soil micromovings (creepings).
Geological conditions
Chemical and microbiological
characteristics of the main
springs of Metsovo
area
J. Kyroussis, Assistant Professor, Division of Geological Sciences
N. Fytrolakis, Professor, Division of Geological Sciences
Department of Mining Engineering and Metallurgy, N.T.U.A.
In
this paper, the geological, chemical and microbiological characteristics of the
water of the main springs of Metsovo area are
examined.
Eight
(8) of the springs originated from the formation of Flysch
and three (3) from the ophiolitic nappe.
From
the study of the chemical diagrams (fig. 1, 2, 3, 3a, 4 and 5), we conclude:
·
From the chemical point of
view, all samples examined are suitable for drinking.
·
From the microbiological
point of view, most springs are not suitable for drinking.
·
All springs are suitable for
irrigation.
·
There is not any serious
contamination by heavy metals.
The contribution
of analogue and digital remote sensing methods in detecting landslides in the Metsovo area
E. Rokos, Geologist, PhD Candidate, N.T.U.A.
N. Fytrolakis,
Professor, Division of Geological Sciences,
Department of Mining Engineering and Metallurgy, N.T.U.A.
In this paper the systematic study of a
probable reactivation or other changes in a big landslide during the period
1946-1987 is presented. The landslide was identified in the stereo-pair of the
air-photos 200668-200669 taken on 31.7.1987, at 1:6,000 scale,
south of Metsovo. This study is part of broader
research on the contribution of analogue and digital remote sensing methods and
techniques to the exploration of landslides in the Metsovo
area.
The Metsovo area lithologically
consists of flysche formations of the Pindos zone and probably of the Gavrovos-Tripoli
zone. The area where the landslide was detected,
consists of alternations of sandstone strata with silty clay and marls.
The evolution of the landslide through time, from 1946 to 1987, was
studied with the aid of analogue and digital remote
sensing methods and techniques, regarding its boundaries, three-dimensional
form and shape.
For that purpose, the following stereo-pairs of black and white
air-photos of the Metsovo-Anilio area were used
(courtesy of the Army Map Service of Greece):
a. 35531-35532,
scale 1:2,000, date 10.9.1946
b. 9677-9678, scale 1:16,000,
date 25.9.1959
c. 105968-105969,
scale 1:12,000, date 24.6.1978
d. 153422-153423,
scale 1:12,000, date 19.6.1983
e. 200668-200669,
scale 1:6,000, date 31.7.1987
These stereo-pairs were studied with lens and mirror stereoscopes in
order to define the boundaries of the landslide area in each period and detect
the changes that took place in this area.
The air-photos were then scanned with the aid of a scanner (HP Scanjet 4c), geometrically corrected using ground control
points and referenced on the 200668 air-photo of 1987, in order to facilitate
their correlation and processing, taking into consideration that they are central
projections of the earth’s surface.
The next step in this study was digitizing the boundaries of the
landslide area on each date, in order to study the possible changes that took
place in the shape and the size of the landslide area.
Finally, unsupervised classifications were carried out for each
air-photo, in order to divide the landslide area into three classes (bare soil,
vegetation and shades, low vegetation).
The differentiation of the boundaries of each class on each date, shows the specific and characteristic changes in the
landslide area.
The digitizing and geometric correction (rectification) processes and
the multiple digital analysis of the air-photos were
achieved with the aid of ER Mapper (image processing
of satellite images and GIS).
The conclusions of this first stage of the research
are
:
·
During the period 1946-1987
there was no extension of the landslide area.
·
There were no new landslide
phenomena visible in the air-photos, inside the research area.
·
There was a considerable
increase in vegetation cover, mostly after 1978. This rise is due both to human
intervention (in order to improve the landscape, protect the soil and prevent
further landslide phenomena) and growth of natural vegetation.
In the next research stage, the aim is to develop a
method of automatic detection of possible landslide phenomena with the aid of
satellite image processing and to validate them by ground checking.
A Comparison of the Quality and Accuracy
of Classifications
of SPOT XS Remote Sensing
Images
Corrected or not for Topographic Relief Displacement
in the
Dr.
Eng. D. Rokos,
Professor, N.T.U.A.
V. Andronis,
PhD Candidate, N.T.U.A.
Remote Sensing Laboratory, N.T.U.A.
Dr. E.Vozikis, Geomet Ltd
E.Varela, Geologist A.U.Th., Geomet
Ltd
One of the fundamental processing techniques of
digital remotely sensed images is their supervised classification into
categories of land use/cover or other interesting geologic, pedologic,
settlement density etc. features (Rokos, 1988, 1989,
1993, Rokos et al., 1995, 1998). During this process,
based on data taken from appropriate and sufficient polygons of ground controls
which are carried out in homogeneous zones (zones of common data, features,
uses, cover, patterns, conditions, etc.) and on their correspondence to the
specific digital values of their images (Rokos, 1988,
Rokos et al., 1995, 1998), a special algorithm is
“trained”, which “ascribes” the remaining areas of the digital remotely sensed
image to the entity categories of the ground control polygons corresponding to
their digital values.
The supervised classification method used in this research of the
greater area of Metsovo Province (approximately 800
km2), was applied using the maximum likelihood algorithm, according
to which every pixel of a satellite digital remotely sensed image is ascribed
to a category (class), based on the rule that the probability that the specific
pixel belongs to the specific category is greater than the probability that it
belongs to other categories (Jensen, 1986).
Classifications were attempted:
a) in the multispectral
SPOT XS digital remotely sensed image of
b) in the same multispectral SPOT XS digital remotely sensed image of
The digital elevation model was developed from a stereo pair of SPOT PAN
panchromatic satellite images of
The final thematic land use/cover maps which resulted from the above
classifications were compared to the forest map of the Metsovo
Province Area provided by the Forest Service. This map was last updated in 1995
and is the most accurate existing documentation of land use in the area (Rokos et al., 1998). Findings from the comparison of the
classifications, as to their quality and accuracy, to the area’s forest map are
analytically presented in tables and evaluated and their critical
interpretation is attempted.
Investigation of the possibilities of the
portable radiometer
GER 1500 for the improvement of classifications of
digital
remotely sensed images
J. Vassiliadis, PhD Candidate, N.T.U.A.
V. Karathanassi, Dr.
V. Andronis, PhD Candidate, N.T.U.A.
P. Derzekos, undergraduate student, N.T.U.A.
P. Kolliopoulos, undergraduate student, N.T.U.A.
G. Geronymos, undergraduate student, N.T.U.A.
D. Rokos, Professor, N.T.U.A.
Laboratory
of Remote Sensing, N.T.U.A.
The character of this study has been
experimental, at the educational and research level, both for the evaluation of
the possibilities for creative co-operation of young scientists of varying
research experience with undergraduate students actively interested in the
application of edge technologies, and the estimation of the actual
possibilities of the portable radiometer GER 1500, in random and non-optimal,
from the remote sensing perspective, conditions of field measurements which had
been realized, during winter, in Metsovo. The
methodology developed was tested, after the Conference, in an area of
In particular, the
study attempted to investigate the potential contribution of measurements of
reflected radiation (L), obtained with the use of the portable radiometer, in
the classification process of satellite remotely sensed images. To this end, a
methodology has been developed for the location of training polygons on the
basis of appropriate measurements, obtained with the use of the radiometer GER
1500 and two classification methods (minimum distance and maximum likelihood)
have been applied on the basis of these data. The classification methods were
also later applied with the use of training polygons, which resulted from
traditional ground controls. The evaluation of the results demonstrated that a
valid atmospheric correction of satellite remotely sensed images is absolutely
necessary to improve correlation of their digital numbers with respective
radiometer values and would decisively contribute to a successful application
of the method.
A proposal for
the registration and presentation of mountainous roads and footpaths in Metsovo area
A.Tsagari,
Rural and Surveying Engineer, Assistant N.T.U.A.
Laboratory of
Photogrammetry, N.T.U.A.
The problems created by massive development of
tourism, have led to efforts for milder and friendlier to the environment forms
of tourism.
Mountainous areas of
The special information provided with these maps is:
1.
Map information on the
relief of the terrain, the road net and the footpaths.
2.
Recreation information.
3.
Cultural information.
4.
Environmental information.
The main amount of
information on this map results from the interpretation of aerial photographs.
GPS technology for
surveying applications
in the area of Metsovo
K. Papazisi, Associate Professor
D. Paradissis, Associate Professor
M. Farsaris, PhD Candidate
Topography Division, Department of Rural and Surveying
Engineering, N.T.U.A.
After its full development, the Global
Positioning System (GPS) is being increasingly used in various surveying
projects, in the last few years.
In
In this paper, the GPS positioning methods, their
accuracies and the possible use of the system in the Metsovo
area are discussed.
Stone-reliefs of Metsovo
Conservation - Preservation
I. Nobilakis,
Conservator of Stone, Assistant Professor, T.E.I. of
K. Rokos,
Sculptor, Professor, T.E.I. of
P. Tzanoulinos,
Sculptor, Laboratory Collaborator, T.E.I. of
In
this paper, the stone-reliefs of Metsovo are analyzed in detail, as well as their problems, their wear
and some works are proposed for their conservation and preservation.
The
stone-reliefs, which are under examination, are found in several houses, in
fountains and churches of Metsovo. They have been
created by “carpenters” of Metsovo using local
stones, mainly limestones and micaceous schists.
Their engraved elements –decorations and inscriptions– denote features of the
local life style, which must be preserved, as they offer important information
for our cultural heritage.
Frost effects and biological deposits, such as mosses,
form the basic factors of wear of the stone-reliefs. The results of their
activity on the stone are evident and intense and are displayed with the form
of peelings and crackings.
Following the international rules of conservation, for
their preservation, before any other conservation intervention, the following
works are performed:
1.
Analysis of the constructive
petrifaction of the stone-reliefs with the physical- chemical method of X-ray diffraction, so
that their quantitative and qualitative composition
is verified.
2.
Drawing and photographical
imprint.
3.
Imprint of their wears.
Based on the results of those analyses, as well as of
those which will be done on the deposits, and on the former experience gained
by the works of conservation of the stone-reliefs of
1.
Pre-consolidations of the
peeled material.
2.
Mechanical and chemical
cleanings.
3.
Consolidation with the use
of materials that suit the constructive petrifaction of the stone-reliefs.
After the total study of the structural material and
its wears, some conclusions are drawn and according to them, proposals are
formed for the preservation of the stone-reliefs.
The problems which are created from the activity of physical
phenomena, such as frost, are continuous and permanent, having as a result the
continuous wear of the stone-reliefs and naturally leading to peelings and crackings, increase of porosity and finally, to the entire
destruction of the stone-reliefs.
In order to confront these problems, the conservation
of the stone-reliefs is proposed, as well as the creation of plaster casts,
from which copies will be reproduced.
These copies should be placed in a show-room, which
will be the only way for the preservation of the elements of the traditional
sculpture of Metsovo of the past century. The plaster
casts will be constructed with the traditional method of constructing moulds
and with silicone rubber in situ. They will remain in an archive of the
show-room, so that there will be the possibility of reproduction of the copies,
with any kind of material.
At the same time, plaster casts offer the possibility
for researchers to collect all the elements for study and knowledge of the
traditional sculpture and history of the area.
The original sculptures, which will remain in their
original place after conservation interventions, will have a prolonged life. It
is noted that they must be carefully observed on an annual basis. The necessary
protective and preventive interventions should be made, so that the sculptures
can be preserved as long as possible, since one can not stop the effects of the
physical factors which cause the wear of the stone-reliefs.
The proposal for a show-room creation of copies of
stone-reliefs of Metsovo was applied last year in
The experience, which was gained by the
works in
The carved wood-coating ‘Templon’ of the
of Agia Paraskevi in Metsovo
A study of its
decay (deterioration) and proposals for its
conservation and restoration
I. Gerekos,
Professor of Applications,
Department
of Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art, T.E.I. of
The art of carved wood-coating in
From the early decades of the 18th century, special types of carved-wood
‘templon’ appear, from which several parts from the
background are taken out and, as a result, there are gaps among the faces.
Eventually, the work is elegant and at the same time, human faces appear more
often. As time goes by, carved wood becomes more vivid. In the middle of the
same century, the influence of the European baroque style, which is the most
important way of artistic expression, is obvious.
In the rise of the 19th century, carved wood ‘templon’
in Epiros is totally transformed, a change which
strikes the observer, let alone the researcher. A typical example of the 19th
century style in
The most impressive, overwhelming feature of the ‘templon’
is the numerous carved, sacred representations which decorate the round tops of
the base and the ‘ketabedes’ (the lower parts of the
Despotic Icons). We briefly mention the representation of Eve and Adam
(Primitive Justice, the Original Sin, Divine Control, the
Expulsion from Heaven), representations from Prodromus’
torture, the Annunciation of Virgin Mary, Christ as the Chief Priest etc. In
addition, the decoration is enriched with sprigs which embrace the ‘kions’ (pillars), mermaids, dragons and two-headed eagles.
All these are elegantly supplemented by plant decorations.
This ‘templon’ is undoubtedly a masterpiece
and is dated from the first half of the 18th century. This can also be
confirmed by the Despotic Icons, which are works of Russian Art during the
fourth decade of the same century.
Conservation Status - Decay
A
detailed examination of the ‘templon’ surface shows
evidence of prolonged decay. The following are observed:
1. Intense
peelings, during preparation layer, of the gilding and the color
of the background. The intensity of the peelings is gradually decreasing in the
lower parts.
2. Oxidation
and black coatings.
3. Decays
in the carving decoration due to environmental moisture and xylophagous
insects.
The main causes of decay are the following:
1. Fluctuation
of relative moisture and temperature inside the temple have
affected the construction materials, contributing to the existence of
micro-organisms and insects.
2. Changes
in weather conditions made the wood shrink and expand. The fluctuation of
temperature and moisture proved that relative moisture was between 49 and 94 %,
the yearly average of which is 66% (with a daily fluctuation of - 20 %).
3. Fungi,
acids and other substances deriving from them affect the wood in the most
detrimental way.
Proposed Conservation Process
1. Mechanical
and chemical cleaning on the back side.
2. Replacing of
the rotten wooden supports.
3. Consolidation
of the wooden carrier with resin saturation.
4. Reinforcement
of the detached carved-wooden pieces.
5. Cleaning and
removing of the soot from the carved-wooden surface.
6. Reinforcement
of the remaining gold and the preparation layer.
7. Perimetrical
reinforcement of the peeled parts on the entire surface of the ‘templon’.
8. Aesthetic
restoration.
9. Apentomosis and final varnishing.
Methods of analysis
1.
Identification of the woods.
2.
Analysis of the preparation layer with the Infra-red Spectroscopy
method.
3.
Investigation of the stratigraphical sections.
4.
Selective coloration of the stratigraphical sections, a supplementary
method of the I.R. and U.V. Spectroscopy.
5.
Identification of the background
pigments, using the x-ray Diffraction method.
The significance and the conservation
problems of the new
monuments of the Province. The case
of the statues of
the Shepherd, the Logger in Metsovo and A. Diakos in
B. Lampropoulos,
Professor of Applications
P. Tzanoulinos,
Sculptor-Conservator, Laboratory Collaborator
A. Tzamalis,
Conservator of Antiquities and Works of Art
A. Karampotsos,
Conservator of Antiquities and Works of Art
Department of Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art, T.E.I. of
The new statues and monuments of the Province
decorate towns and villages and harmoniously coexist with the traditional style
of every town and village.
Their
corrosion phenomena are not usually the same as those in big industrial cities.
The most common corrosion factors are high humidity, frost, biological
depositions and temperature variations.
The statues of Metsovo were created by
The types of corrosion present include the removal of the protective
layer (wax) in specific areas, where corrosion materials appear. As a result of
the actions of visitors, there is a removal of “patina” in some areas of the
surface. On the whole surface of the statues and especially on the points of
water flow, there is a thin green layer of mineral
“malachite” and there is “graffiti” on some areas of the surface of the E. Averof statue. A mineral analysis was performed with X -
rays diffraction (X.R.D.) for the estimation of the corrosion materials and the
depositions.
The surface was cleaned with a mixture of organic solvents in the cases
of corroded wax and graffiti, and deionized water, chelated
agents (E.D.T.A.) and mechanical methods in the cases of depositions and
corrosion materials.
The “patina” was created with the use of potassium sulfide
and a mixture of special wax and UV absorber was used for the protection of the
surface.
The statue of A. Diakos was created by
The corrosion phenomena of this statue are those most common in areas
with atmospheric pollution, such as:
a. Carbonisation, due to the effect of the carbon dioxide of the
atmosphere.
b. Black crusts, due to the depositions of atmospheric particles and pollutants.
c. Biological depositions and plants between the marbles.
d. Removal of marble material, due to the flow of the rainwater.
e. Graffiti on lower parts of the statue.
f. Materials and effects of previous conservation procedures.
A quantitative analysis of the structure material and depositions was
performed with the use of X-ray diffraction (X.R.D.) and Scanning Electron
Microscope (S.E.M.).
The surface was cleaned using deionized water, neutral soaps (Texapon), organic solvents in the case of graffiti,
absorbent clays (sepiolite), chelated agents
(E.D.T.A.) in the case of black crust and biocides in the case of biological
depositions and plants.
The surface was consolidated with the use of a saturated solution of
calcium hydroxide.
Gaps were filled with special mortars and marble,
after the removal of the materials of previous conservation procedures.
Profile of an Archive in Metsovo
Its significance and the efforts to conserve it
K. Houlis,
Assistant
Professor,
Department
of Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art,
Technological
Educational
Archive materials usually consist of written documents (manuscripts of printed
material) that are not bound. They are comprised of loose documents of a
private or public nature, letters, contracts, bills, receipts, various notes,
press clippings, and occasionally photographs (negatives and prints) of the
family, the personal events, and landscapes etc. Moreover, they can include
graphic arts products such as maps, posters, political manifestos, wrapping
paper or advertising leaflets.
The Archive material of the Tsanakas house in Metsovo, which was preserved thanks to the care of the town Mayor Mr. Al. Kachrimanis, is an especially significant case. This paper looks into the nature of the Archive and the contribution it can offer to the recording of local history. It also describes the conservation and restoration works on three old family photographs, as well as on fragments of three posters from the beginning of the century. The objects, that were chosen and conserved by students of the Department of Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art of the Technological Educational Institute of Athens, will provide a model for the future restoration of the complete Archive. The project put an emphasis on professional ethics and showed deep respect towards the materials. It remained committed to the rationale on which the conservation of cultural heritage should be based, avoiding any arbitrary intervention or inconsistencies in favour of esthetic or research interests.
Musical
Tradition of
Theoretical and
Methodological Problems of a Research Program
The purpose of this paper is
to discuss the theoretical and methodological problems of a research program
dealing with the musical tradition of
Proposals for research
G. Ladogianni,
Assistant Professor,
In this work we pose a number
of questions that scientific research has to answer. The fact that the period
of Enlightenment is one of the beginnings of modern Greek theater, as well as the fact that many publishers,
translators, playwrights, financial contributors and other components of
theatrical life from
Painting with the
materials of
An experience with the children of Metsovo
“Creative Meetings” of the Averof
Gallery of Art,
September 1997
The natural environment
itself has always given to man materials and shapes. As a man of art, I thought
that the materials of the environment could be expressive means of art. Today
that expression is diverse and resourceful, it can
surpass the use of the known raw materials. Techniques for the use of natural
materials, organic and inorganic, have been salvaged by eponymous and anonymous
writers in the Middle Ages and the first Renaissance
years.
What I wanted to show the children was the way that man has been
intervening in nature, in the past and present times.
The whole project included material processing methods such as crushing,
separation, sieving, washing and finally, conversion of the matter into dyeing
powder.
The Contribution of Geodesy and Photogrammetry to the
documentation and
preservation of our Cultural Inheritance
A proposal for
D.-D. Balodimos, Professor, N.T.U.A.
The present paper deals with
ideas accepted by people involved in the preservation of the Cultural Inheritance.
The concept of the
The different kinds of documentation are stated with emphasis on the
Geometrical Documentation, as it is expressed today by the Geodetic and Photogrammetric methods and instrumentation.
Examples of this kind of documentation are presented.
Finally,
a proposal for the documentation and preservation of our Cultural Inheritance
existing in
Culture and Regional Development
The Case of the Region of
E. Kourliouros, Associate Professor, Department of Geography,
University
of the
R. Mari, Architecture
Engineer, Ministry of Culture
Y. Pramagioulis, Economist-Engineer, N.T.U.A.
The world economic crisis that followed the oil
inflation crisis of the 70s, had serious impacts upon
the traditional industrial zones that stimulated the post-war economic
prosperity and social welfare in
In the past, the conservation and exploitation of local historical and
cultural assets was considered to be a developmental goal of secondary
importance in comparison to the goal of industrial growth. Today, such
one-dimensional considerations do not exist any more. It is a common belief
that historical and cultural human skills can be a valuable asset for the
area’s economic development and social well-being.
In this paper, we
first analyze the broader context of change as
localities are shifting priorities from traditional manufacturing to cultural
industries, and then we examine the problems/prospects of that shift in the
case of the region of
The management of the natural heritage of
Experiences and Perspectives
G. Panagiaris, Dr. Biologist, Professor, Department of Conservation of Antiquities
and Works of Art, T.E.I. of
I. Ioannidis,
Biologist,
C. Papaioannou, Biologist
G. Gianatos, Biologist of Wild Nature, MSc
According to the Convention for the protection of natural and cultural
heritage (UNESCO 1972), the following can be defined as “natural heritage”:
-
Natural monuments made up of
natural or biological formations, or groups of similar formations, that are of
international importance, from the aesthetic or scientific point of view.
-
Geological or physiographic
formations and precisely determined areas that are rich in animals or/and
plants threatened by extinction, and in species of international importance,
from the research point of view.
-
Natural landscapes or
precisely determined natural areas of international importance, from the
research point of view, because of their conservation need or their natural
beauty.
In the 1650/86 environmental law for the protection of
natural heritage in
The term ecodevelopment is
used in an attempt to surpass the misconception of the seventies, that human beings
should be expelled from protected areas.
According to “ecodevelopment”,
development planning should favor the protection of
nature, taking into account biological and ecological factors, in correlation
with the cultural, political and economical dimension and the local social
reality as well.
The proper management of ecosystems and the
conservation, promotion and protection of natural monuments, are the unique
prerequisite for these resources to remain unchanged and fruitful, so that
development will be sustainable.
In this paper, typical examples of actions are referred to (i.e. LIFE Zagori, LEADER
Emphasis is given to:
1.
The need for an integrated
project of regional development and the coordination of secondary actions, in
such a way that the quality of life and the protection of the natural and
cultural environment are of equal importance.
2.
The need for an up-to-date
improvement of the legal framework.
3.
The role of public education
at various levels, in order to create a public behavior
which will support sustainability.
Traditional
tanning (leather processing technique) in Ioannina,
from the late 19th to the early
20th century
V. Rokou, Associate Professor,
Tanning, a handicraft with a long history in
the town of
The issues of concern for the researcher into tanning
in Ioannina are connected with the function of the
handicraft town, the special relationship experienced by its inhabitants as a
labour force between tradition and modernisation and the technical procedure
signifying the move to machine production.
Research into the ‘tabakika’, as the tanneries
are called, will reveal the size of the local handicraft in terms of the
economic development of the late 19th and
early 20th centuries.
The tanning handicraft and techniques reflect the
traditional character of the local economy but also, the effort to modernise
traditional society.
The ‘tabakika’ of Ioannina, a series of workrooms along the lake shore, in
the area called Sharava, acquired economic
importance.
They produce top quality leather brought to the market
which is controlled by
It is also the time of a turn toward the european economic policy of the factory. The
reorganisation of the town shows the orientation of economic life to the
factory and an investment in the idea of industrialisation, as is revealed in
the architectural reorganisation of the ‘tabakika’.
Yet, circumstances were prohibitive for the formation
and expansion of industrialisation.
The transition of the town can be observed in the urban plan and the
architectural construction of the mansions and workrooms. It was the lake which
attracted the set up of the workrooms in the specific areas for leather
processing.
The low buildings of the area, built with mud bricks, seem to have been
constructed prior to the 19th century, but the two and three floor buildings,
which were connected with the tanneries, were constructed in the late 19th
century. The area was built with an adding architectural disposition, from the
houses in the street which, since 1931 is called Zalokosta,
in the area known as Sharava, toward the
The workshops of silver craftsmanship in Ioannina
in the 19th and early 20th centuries
E. Papaioannou, PhD Candidate,
Department
of History and Archaeology,
The art of gold and silver craftsmanship, known
in both its ecclesiastic and secular versions, has, in Ioannina,
a grand continuing history of economic and cultural importance.
In this paper, an approach to the phenomenon of the creation and
reproduction of the local cultural event of silvercraftsmanship
is attempted, providing answers as to the time of its appearance, its
flourishing and finally, the formation of the economic organization of
silversmiths in Ioannina. It is stressed that
Attention is also paid to the movement and employment of the technical
group, as labor force, in the framework of the
international division of labor. The emigration of
the people of
The course of development and decline of
the art of gold
embroidery in
(from the major centre to the
periphery and from the periphery
to the centre)
E. Vlachopoulou-Karabina,
PhD Candidate, Department of History
and Archaeology,
This study starts with an analysis of the
concept of gold embroidery and an account of the transplantation of this art to
First period (16th -17th centuries): Ioannina
was the major centre. Testimonies to the continuation of the art there
(references in commercial documents, letters and testimony of travellers on the
trade in silk, silk fabrics and gold embroidery materials, intended for traders
and tailors) are recorded; transition from the monk or nun craftsman/ woman of
the monastic centre to the secular “gold tailor”-gold embroiderer.
Second period: (18th century): distinctive development
of the periphery and folk art at its zenith. Its development is traced in the
following areas:
a.
Moschopolis -a model community in the period of Turkish rule- gold embroiderers’
workshops.
b.
Lioutzi-Politsiani: itinerant “gold tailors” (Zagori, Pogonia)-Sumptuous bridal dresses (ostentation of wealth
brought from abroad on the costume).
c.
Kalarrytes-Metsovo-Syrrako: renowned “gold tailors” and gold embroiderers - impossibility of
establishing a major craft industry workshop.
Third period (late 18th to the third quarter of the 19th century):
decline of the peripheral centres (destruction of Moschopolis-Kalarrytes-Syrrako;
migration to themajor urban centres) and recovery of the central importance of Ioannina: Esnafs (corporations), syrmakesides (gold embroiderers)-terzides (tailors)
(major workshops -productions-exports).
In the last period (third quarter of the 19th century - to the present),
the decline of the art is traced (adoption of European manner of dress after
the liberation of
River Arachthos:
a source of life or electricity?
The dilemma over Public Power Corporation dams
J. Papadimitriou,
Lawyer, President “
Recently, it is commonly stated that “the next
war will be a war on water”. As the global ecological movement has stressed,
large projects aiming at the excessive exploitation of rivers’ water, usually
lead to an even greater water shortage and intensify the problem. The dimension
of geographical inequalities is sacrificing the water resources of
This choice will have adverse impacts:
1.
on the area’s geological
stability,
2.
on the area’s political and
historical heritage,
3.
on the ecological stability of the gorge and the ecosystem.
The presentation of these dangers, following related actions of the
area’s inhabitants, has set back the project’s materialization plans.
The discussion on the dilemma over an investment
offering short-term employment or a plan for the sustainable development of the
river shore zone and the mountains, concerns us all.
An approach to
the issue of intervention in the Aoos environment
K. Moraitis, Architecture Engineer, Assistant Professor, N.T.U.A.
K. Ntaflos, Architecture Engineer, N.T.U.A.
A. Panagouli, Architecture Engineer, N.T.U.A.
It is obvious that the project “settlements of
ecological education at the
By these means, proposals and conclusions are useful and applicable in
the cases of other interventions, such as the artificial
The meanings that we can give to various natural spaces help us in the
creation of forms in the landscape. Natural structures are recognised (as being
indicative of the quality of the natural processes which are performed), and
can be transferred and realised in a “building-structure”, whose basic
structural elements originate from “pictures-images-messages” of the lake
environment.
Interventions in space -settlements intend to support- assist the closer
contact of man with nature, taking into account, in the structure, the
condition of reversability. This reversability
expresses the temporariness of the structure, which can be dismantled and
removed, leaving no traces in the landscape. Furthermore, the demand for energy
efficiency and autonomy, accomplished with the use of renewable sources of
energy (bioclimatic design), and the application of active and passive systems
(energy design), refers to the self-sufficiency of the structure.
Finally, the contribution of ecological design (which allows the
recycling of the structure), knowledge of hydrobiology and physiology and the
gradation of the accessibility of natural spaces, give the touch of a gentle
approach.
Creation of a protected corridor between
Mount Olympus
and
and international expediency
C. Tsipiras, Civil Engineer, Geographer, Chairman of the Greek section of “Mountain
Wilderness”, Member of the interdisciplinary network “Mountain Forum”
The theory of intermediate spaces or corridors
is one of the most modern ideas of ecological land use and the matter of the
creation of a protected corridor between Mt Olympus and
Identity and scale:
The local values for the
Th. Vlastos,
Assistant Professor,
Department of Rural and Surveying Engineering, N.T.U.A.
Ô. Birbili, Dr. Environmental Economics,
Development
Agency,
Human scale and identity are principles which are still maintained in
the non-urban space, since this is the space of the small sizes and of cultural
tradition. Big cities squash human scales and technology, upon which they base
their development, levels cultures and eliminates differences.
However, local cultures are subject to the impacts arisen from the
accelerating expansion of the urban conurbation and the installation of the big
scale interconnection networks. Local cultures are shrinking and both their
role and their weight are determined by decisions that are taken in their
absence, reducing them to servants of specific city demands.
In
For
Vis-a-vis the big scales of
The Contribution of Hellenic Traditional
Architecture
to a Contemporary Bioclimatic
Design in
S. Kostoula, BSc Architectural Engineering,
MA
Architecture, Advanced Environmental & Energy Studies
This paper is a study of Hellenic traditional
architecture within the scope of an effort to establish a method which would
enable architects to design contemporary, comfortable buildings.
An increasing number of people complain that the modern buildings they
occupy are uncomfortable. This is an undoubtedly existing problem. Before the
industrial age, a substantial number of buildings were constructed without any
facilities such as artificial lighting, central heating and air-conditioning.
On the other hand, these buildings still had to tackle the same climatic
conditions as in modern times. In each type of indigenous architecture found
everywhere in the world, in
The study of the country’s mountainous region forms a distinct part of
this paper, in which the following are examined and analysed:
·
The specific climatic characteristics.
This description aims to establish a firm
understanding of the conditions and problems that have to be tackled by
buildings within the zone.
·
The thermal requirements.
Arrangements that need to be made for the
occupants to be comfortable; to tackle the climate described in the above
section successfully.
·
Design principles.
Designate principles which need to govern the design
of any structure within the zone.
·
Analysis of particular
examples.
This analysis aims to establish the relationship between the archetypes
and guidelines outlined in the climatic characteristics and design principles
sections.
This study aims to help architects in their effort to exploit the climatic conditions of every Hellenic mountainous region in order to achieve their goal more easily, better, and saving energy, while contributing in the protection of the environment.
The dry stone wall: retaining the soil,
maintaining the culture
E. Pangratiou,
Architect-Geographer, EU Program Coordinator,
Zagori Developmental Society
Throughout the
This
landscape of terraces or “pezoulia” is very much in evidence in
It is therefore necessary that systematic research be carried out in
order to establish:
(a)
· which
settlements have terrace-like formations in their vicinity;
· to
what uses terraces are put (which plants are cultivated in which places);
· which dry
stone building techniques are employed depending on locally available
materials;
·
what other dry stone
constructions, such as fountains, cisterns, huts, threshing floors and mills,
there are, which constitute an important part of the architectural heritage of
agricultural Epirus;
(b)
· ways of
dealing with dry stone constructions in need of preservation.
The above items mark out a common area of research for such disciplines
as architecture, structural engineering, environmental studies, geography,
agricultural sciences, animal husbandry, ethnography, archaeology, economics ...
In Zagori, and in the context of three
European programs, an effort is under way whose aim is to preserve terraces
used in agriculture, as well as to restore dry stone constructions and bring
them back to use. Transnational meetings of study
groups from various Mediterranean areas make it possible to exchange
experiences and ideas concerning the preservation of dry stone building.
He arrived in Canada … departed for the
U.S.A.
Contribution to the history of the immigration
K. Karanatsis,
Sociologist
Excerpts from the “Social Life” column of the “Aoos” provincial newspaper (1913-1958) outlining the
phenomena of immigration and urbanization during this period.
Cartography of the immigration movement from the
Design and
function of a modern cheese plant
V. Andritsos, Chemical Engineer, N.T.U.A.
Ê.Tzia,
Assistant Professor, N.T.U.A.
Laboratory of Food Technology, Department of Chemical
Engineering, N.T.U.A.
In this work, data on the amounts of the main cheeses produced, imported
and exported in
The selection of
location in relation to the raw milk supply and the particular characteristics
of the production area, the design of the cheese plant, the construction, the
utilities and the necessary equipment are presented. Also, the hygiene
practices for the workers, the facilities, the raw milk and the equipment
according to directive 93/43 EC and HACCP are noted.
The teaching of translation: a demand and an
achievement of
contemporary culture
A. Alexakis,
Professor of translation, Special Assessor,
After focusing on contemporary Western society and the factors which demon-strate the significance, extent and other features of
translation activity today, the paper attempts to compare and contrast that
picture with ‘traditional’ translation in order to accentuate the differentia specifica
between the situation in the past and the present.
That difference
-which could be summed up as the contrast between amateurism and
professionalism, between the self-taught translator and his ‘qualified’
counterpart- then forms the basis for a study leading to conclusions which
permit an answer to the following questions: why has it only now been realised
that there is a need for translation to be taught? and,
what exactly should be the content of that teaching?
After references to the need for the translator to be able to understand
texts of all kinds and be able to compile equally varied primary texts in the
destination language, the paper draws additional evidence in connection with
the answers required from a brief analysis of the problems raised ipso facto by the process of
translation.
The paper concludes that the factors to which it refers and which it has
analysed would make possible the preparation of a curriculum for teaching
translation - a curriculum based on documentation rather than intuition, and
one which would meet both demands of the subject itself and the requirements of
modern civilisation.*
*
ÌåôÜöñáóç, John Solman.
Uncontrolled Landfills and
Demands for their Reincorporation to the Environment
A. Vgenopoulos, Professor, NTUA
Dr. D. Katsinis, Geologist,
Department of Mining Engineering and Metallurgy, Section of Geological Sciences, NTUA
The disposal of urban wastes consists one
of the most serious problems of the modern communities, mainly because there is
no disposal technology without side effects to thea
environment. As we all know there are a lot of illegal landfills where various
municipalities or communities bury or burn their waste, without any concern for
the specifications demanded.
So the main problems observed to that sites are a)
The gas production and b) The leac ages derived from
the mass of the wastes. In the present work, we are occupied with the first
problem, that of gas production, using results from our study in the landfill
of Ano Nea Liosia. With the term of gas production we mean the
production of the mixture of gases known as biogas. We think that this problem
is the most important because it affects immediately our try for landfill
recovery. That can be faced in the following ways:
a)
Use of earth covers with the right
mineralogical composition.
b)
Detection of areas with increased rates
of biogas production.
c)
Suction of the biogas.
In the present work, we deal with the
first two ways mentioned above. In particular, as will be shown by the
interpretation of the analytical results in our study of the Ano Nea Liosia landfill, an
appropriate mineralogical composition of the earth cover used can, first,
increase the percentage of biogas retention-adsorption and, second, the biogas
with the contained in the earth cover minerals can produce series of chemical
reactions, resulting in the reduction of great quantities of gases such as methane and others.
Static and Dynamic Analysis
of Valleybridge Deck Slabs Reinforced with Beams
E.J. Sapountzakis,
Lecturer,
J.T. Katsikadelis,
Professor,
Institute
of Structural Analysis and Aseismic Research, NTUA