Thessaly agricultural heritage documented through historical research

Researcher Basiliki Koziou-Kolofotia has documented the historical agricultural and cultural heritage of the Thessaly plain in Karditsa through her research, published in the book ‘Recording and Highlighting the Rural and Cultural Heritage of Karditsa’.

Her work details the traditional manual methods used for wheat production before the advent of machinery. The process involved specific seasonal cycles, with sowing occurring in November and harvesting in June. To ensure crops were gathered before storms, farmers worked in groups of relatives and friends.

Koziou-Kolofotia describes the specialized roles held during the harvest: ‘cutters’ used sickles to reap the wheat, while ‘binders’ collected the stalks to create bundles using moistened wheat or straw. The research highlights how these manual labor practices were essential to the survival and culture of the region.