2010-10-20: This year, too,  we celebrated the European Heritage Days (September 24?26, 2010), the major cultural event supported by the European Commission and the Council of Europe. For the second consecutive year, the theme of the events organized in Greece was «Wizards, spells and talismans: magic in the ancient and Christian world».

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At the Silk Museum, on Friday, September 24, children attending Nursery School were inspired by "Chryssomalloussa" (Goldilocks), a traditional Thracian fairytale, and made charming finger puppets for each of the story's characters! Schoolchildren in the first three grades of Primary School made dolls of white, or good, witches, while older pupils (grades 4 6) dyed pieces of silk fabric using the traditional but forgotten "magic" techniques, i.e. using dyes made of walnuts, onions and pomegranates and made their own ornament-talisman against evil! Find out more about the educational programme carried out systematically at the Silk Museum here.

        

At the Museum of Marble Crafts, groups from all of Tinos' Primary Schools participated in the educational programme "The water sprite" on Friday, as well as on Saturday morning (24-25/9), the same programme being repeated over the weekend for children and their families (25-26/9). During the first part, the children discussed the importance of water in man's life with museologist/teacher Nancy Selenti and were acquainted with the magic symbols relating to it. Following this, they looked for marble exhibits in the Museum that correspond to the various uses of water, they focused on the two fountains that are part of the permanent exhibition and observed their ornamentation and learnt about the interpretation of the symbols on these and other marble fountains on the island.

The second part of the programme consisted of art workshops under the guidance of sculptor/teacher Artemios Ghelandalis. The children were divided into groups according to age and created mosaics, collage and paintings using typical magic symbols. The works will be sent to the schools together with additional material for the teachers, who, drawing information from the relevant selected bibliography they have already been provided with as well, will be able to further study the topic in the classroom. Each programme lasted approximately 90 minutes and participation in it was free of charge.

 

The educational programme "The water sprite" prolonged the content of the one organized last year at the Museum of Marble Crafts within the same framework ("Evil spirits go away, shoo-shoo-shoo!"), whose subject was the magic symbols in Tinian fanlights. At the same time, it ties in directly with the circle of activities of the "Adopting a fountain" programme, which began last April on the occasion of the International Day for Monuments and Sites and which will be pursued over the school year 2010-2011.

At the Rooftile and Brickworks Museum, On Friday, September 24, 2010, an educational programme was held  for schoolchildren in the fourth to sixth grade of primary school, which consisted in making a talisman. The programme helped the participants understand the meaning and usefulness of talismans in our life, while simultaneously experiencing the joy of making their own personal talisman. Both the participants and visitors were taken on a guided tour of the Museum and received souvenirs from the Museum's gift shop. In parallel, September 24th marked the first event organized in collaboration with the University of Thessaly, thus combining the European Heritage Days with the Pan-European institution organized by academic establishments: the "Researchers' Night".

Information:
Silk Museum (+30) 25540.24027, (+30) 210 3256927
Rooftile and Brickworks Museum N. & S. Tsalapatas
(+30) 24210.31160 & 24210.29844, (+30) 210 3256927
Museum of Marble Crafts(+30)°22830.31290, (+30) 210.3256925

Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation
Address: Ang. Geronta 6, GR-105 58 Athens, Tel.: (+30) 210-3218015, 210-3218020-23.
Fax: (+30) 210-3218145, e-mail: piop@piraeusbank.gr, URL: www.piop.gr | piop@piraeusbank.gr