Folklore Museum of Samothrace
A traditional house of Samothrace from the early 20th century, with urban and folk elements, is where the Folklore Museum of Samothrace in Chora is housed. It was created thanks to the patience and perseverance of local teachers, who, from the 70s, collected items from every home and presented them in an exhibition that resembles a real home.
A single-room houses the living room, kitchen and bedroom. The fireplace is the center of the “corner” of the kitchen. Around it are are gathered all the necessary utensils and sofras (low table). In the bedroom dominates the iron bed dating back to 1929, covered with a blanket made from pure silk. The living room with a sofa and a table, were common in urban affluent homes, but you would never see them in the houses of the folk. The space is dominated by the “mesandra”, a closet not absent from a traditional home of Samothrace, as well as the iconostasis with the hanging oil lamp and the stephanothiki (a wedding gowns holder). The walls are decorated with marchamades – woven towels and chests.
A male and a female local costume are also exposed in the Folklore Museum of Samothrace. The female is simple, with a blue, red or green long skirt with belt buckles and a white scarf on the head. The male costume consists of tsirvoulia (shoes), the socks, the breeches, the belt, the shirt, the waistcoat, the Abbas (jacket) and the hat.
The Folklore Museum of Samothrace is housed in a two-storey mansion dating back to 1900 and, apart from the traditional samothracian house located on the first floor, it also hosts paraphernalia of “Kechagia” as they call the cattle farmer in Samothrace, a rich collection of woven rugs, bedding and the traditional loom, as well as agricultural tools. It houses a rich collection of photographic material from the 20th century and finally a carved iconostasis with rare icons from the island’s churches .
The Folklore Museum of Samothrace is operating since 1985 under the auspices of the Cultural Association of the island and the financial help of the Municipality.
