History of Skopelos
The oldest evidence of habitation dates to the early and mid Mycenaean period of 16th - 14th BC: buildings on the island of Stafylos, as well as a grave with precious treasure found close by. The rich discoveries imply that the grave belonged to a powerful sovereign of the time and very probably the mythical king Stafylo, who came from Minoan Crete. Moreover ancient writings strengthen the existence of a historical base to the fable of Stafylou, the name of region maintained unalterable up to today, constitutes powerful argument for the grave of the mythical king.
Following the Mycenaean period there is very little recorded until the ancient time of 6th - early 5th BC, the peak of Peparithos when silver coinage was minted and trading with other city states of the Aegean. After the Persian Wars, 480 BC, the island joins the First Athenian Alliance. The importance of the island in the Northern Sporades is reflected in the large tax levied as opposed to that of Skiathos, Ikos, Skyros. In 427 BC a powerful earthquake accompanied by dreadful tidal wave leveled a lot of public buildings, according to the reports of Thukydidis. The island then falls under the rule of the Spartans followed by the Athenians, 2nd Athenian Alliance.
During the Roman period that began in 146 BC, very little is reported about Peparithos. Coins minted at this time show some type of independence or autonomy. At the end of the ancient period it changed its name of island from Peparithos to Skopelos, by which it is known today. The 4th century AD saw the arrival of Bishop Riginou and is linked to the spread of Christianity in the N Sporades. In 363, during the persecutions of Julianos, Riginos is murdered and later he is made a saint by the church. After his death many churches must have been built on the islands. During the early Byzantine years Skopelos appears to have been used as place of exile, despite the lack of recorded evidence. From the 11th century the Naiiki architecture begins to blossom. In 1204, the island is captured by the Venetians and governed by the Gizi family till 1276. During the period1276 -1453 government power and protection is relaxed resulting in destructive raids from various intruders.
In 1453, Skopelos is occupied by the Venetians and up to 1538 resists the Turkish invasion. There is a complete listing of the Venetian governors of the Northern Sporades. The Venetians were ‘gentle’ rulers and during their sovereignty a lot of churches were built and intense religious writing activity; there are no testimonies for the existence of Catholic churches. The remains of Venetian sovereignty are in some family names today, a few place names and a lot of words in the Skopelos vocabulary. The Venetian influence is reflected in the old traditional residences of Skopelos (Sampson 1983, 40). Fragomahalas of Skopelos was probably the district where the Venetians and other foreigners resided on the island.
In 1538, Skopelos is attacked and destroyed by Haiirentin Barbarossa and then began the Turkish occupation. The island could not have been depopulated entirely as a little after 1538 the construction of churches flourished. During the years of the Ottoman domination Skopelos maintained the privileges that it enjoyed during Venetian rule and did not have a permanent Turkish population on the island. Voevodas and Greek dignitaries controlled the island, while under the high sovereignty of the Turkish Admiral Kapoudan Pasha. From the early years of the Ottoman domination intense building activity in temples and monasteries existed, although strong commercial trading began in the 18th century. Visitors to Skopelos from 16th up to the 19th century reported of a large populous with economic wealth. From these testimonies many unknown elements of the history and the culture of N Sporades in the first dark years of the Ottoman domination are recorded. (see A. Sampson, the Northern Sporades the geographers and sightseers, in which this material has been assembled).
The people of Skopelos, after having lived through the trials and the revolutionary movement of Olympus chieftains at the beginning of 19th century took an active part in the revolution of 1821. Many refugees from Macedonia, Thessalia and Evia were installed on the island at this time, which strengthened the local element and influenced folk costumes, architecture and generally the cultural development of residents. The social structure that was imposed in the years of the Ottoman domination on Skopelos influenced the traditions and customs making it one of the main causes that shaped the character of its folk culture. On the island there existed strict segregation of social classes. The highest order constituted major landowners and shipowners of the island. They governed and undertook to pay the annual taxes to the Turks. The larger part of the population was constituted by smallholding farmers, workers and sailors that manned the commercial fleet. The urban class was represented by very few, mainly tradesmen. Finally, another small, but active order constituted of clerics and monks. The bishop and the abbots of monasteries certainly belonged in the highest order. Next was the nobles and dignitaries, with the division drawn between upper and lower classes constituted two fighting parties. Despite the lack of recorded testimonies about the conflicts, information from old Skopelos confirms the animosity and the friction. The noble families constituted the squires of the island who possessed large areas of land that has been passed down to their descendants of today. This social structure did not change after the revolution.
The poverty that a large part of the population of Skiathos, and of course other islands, lived under during the second half of the 19th century is reflected in the works of Papadiamanti. From here began the major immigration to America, as with Romania, and Russia at the end of the 19th century. Conversely the class that became the motivator and governing body was that of the mariners, who with their ships sailed the Mediterranean and the oceans, accumulating wealth as a result and bringing furniture, glassware, decorative dishes were transported back in order to embellish the Skopelos homes. Merchandise was also transported from other countries with foreign ships that anchored on the island.
It is characteristic that in 18th century Skopelos there existed the consulates of Venice, England and France. Thus it is obvious that from early on elements of the western culture was established on the island, something that was unthinkable in other communities that lived on flat or mountainous parts of Greece. Even the Skopelos folk costume had many foreign elements and differed from other costumes, not only of the mainland, but also of the Greek islands. The new ideas from abroad and the economic prosperity at the top of the social pyramid, had as result, created at the end of 19th century and the beginning of the 20th a type of semi-urban order with specific characteristics and partitions that did not allow marriages with members of more inferior classes. By this new social order gave birth to the puritan perceptions that were extended to the remaining orders. It is characteristic that the feminine population did not work on the land on a permanent basis, as in other rural regions of Greece. The girls did not come out of the house until they were wedded. This conservatism in the culture continued up to 30 - 40 years ago. Of course, there existed farming populations, mainly in the region of Glossa and Klimatos. Small, but a characteristic order constituted of the livestock breeders; many had come from N Evia and were named Vlahi. These shepherds spent the whole year in the mountainous regions of island, where they possessed enormous forest tracts and had their own way of life. Here the women worked helping the men. Another social class that was separate, and still survives today, are the mule-drivers with their huge mules and their characteristic costume. They distribute the goods in the town of Skopelos. |
