Overview

With the contribution of its last living bearers, traditional beekeeping with movable-comb hives is documented, with a special emphasis on vraskia, the vertical clay hives of this type used in Crete. Modern-day interpretation, protection and safeguarding of this cultural heritage, as well as highlighting other related elements of culture are supported, through activities such as: video, fieldwork, publications, production and installation of clay bee hives (replicas) for scientific - educational purposes, communication, networking, and dissemination.

Objectives – Priorities

The action aims to contribute to the safeguarding and preservation of the Greek traditional beekeeping method in movable-comb hives, which nowadays is in immediate danger of disappearing. The method, once its importance is recognised and its viability ensured, and with the right policies in place, is desirable to emerge as a factor of sustainable development and social cohesion; also, to enrich activities of beekeeping, cultural and alternative tourism, recreation, sightseeing and cultural routes, and related activities for becoming acquainted with this heritage.

Rationale - Significance

Movable-comb hives were known in ancient Greece and have remained in use in the Greek territory to this day. They became known in the West in the 17th century and had a decisive influence on the development of global beekeeping. Indeed, Lorenzo Langstroth in the United States of America was based on this method to define the bee space and create the modern frame hive in 1851, which has become the most popular in the world since then. This fact makes the safeguarding and preservation of the Greek traditional beekeeping method with these hives extremely important, perhaps more so than any other traditional beekeeping method.

The action has additional value for the inscription of the element (Traditional Beekeeping Movable-comb Methods) in the Hellenic Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The results of the action can be incorporated within a wide geographic area where movable-comb hives were traditionally used (central/ western Crete, Kythera, Antikythera, eastern Peloponnese, Argosaronic islands, Attica, Kea), without altering the identity of these regions.