SEA SALT

Β18 - Stone-made Salt Lake

d1axir1si — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 05:26:10 +0000

Β18 - Stone-made Salt Lake d1axir1si Thu, 03/16/2023 - 07:26

STONE-MADE SALT LAKE: an accurate representation of a natural salt lake. Salt lakes are natural or artificial shallow cisterns that form in flat coastal areas, within which the solar evaporation of seawater takes place, in order to extract salt.

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Β72 - Sacks with salt being loaded on a boat

d1axir1si — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 03:06:57 +0000

Β72 - Sacks with salt being loaded on a boat d1axir1si Thu, 03/16/2023 - 05:06

On the coastal rocks of Cape Tigani, the natural basins on the rocks would be filled with sea water
which would be heated by the sun. The water would gradually evaporate within a few days and the impurities would sink to the bottom of the basin.

The producers would then transfer the water to smaller basins where it gradually turned into crystalized brine. A thin crust of white flakes would form on the surface of the brine.

The crystalized brine would then be transferred to a group of shallow artificial ponds.

It would gradually become thicker.

When it was thick enough, the producers would pour a new batch of liquid brine over it.

This process would create an extremely thick brine which eventually would turn into thick salt crystals.

The producers would then use an iron-hoop to scrape off the thick salt crystals.

The crystals were placed on an inclined surface and left to drain and dry.

When the salt had dried completely, it was put in sacks and was ready to be sold.

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Β73 - A group of shallow artificial ponds, used for salt production

d1axir1si — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 02:56:07 +0000

Β73 - A group of shallow artificial ponds, used for salt production d1axir1si Thu, 03/16/2023 - 04:56

The climate in Mani is typical of the Mediterranean climate: mild and rainy winters, relatively warm and dry summers. Mani’s coast is fairly rocky. Sea water gets trapped in the natural large basins of the rocks. It either evaporates naturally by the strong sun and the warm summer breezes or it is transferred by the salt producer to another basin.

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165 - SEA SALT

d1axir1si — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 09:17:11 +0000

165 - SEA SALT d1axir1si Mon, 03/13/2023 - 11:17

The sea surrounding East Mani, combined with its rocky terrain, is ideal for salt production. After seawater concentrates and gets condensed in shallow lakes, it evaporates naturally and creates basins with saturated brine, called salt lakes. Among other tools used by locals in the process of salt production, visitors will find exhibited at CCEM jars that were used by locals for salt storage.

Picture: Donated by architect G. Saitas to the Municipality of East Mani (2014)

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120 - Siklos with a horseshoe

d1axir1si — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 08:22:51 +0000

120 - Siklos with a horseshoe d1axir1si Mon, 03/13/2023 - 10:22

THE LOCAL local residents used to procure water from wells that they opened at central locations in the settlements. In order to draw water from the well, they used a metal bucket, called “siklos”, which descended to the bottom of the well with the help of a pulley. There is a horseshoe attached on one side of the handle of this siklos: it is heavy and helped the bucket sink easier in the water. The water that came out of the well was carried home in barrels and stored in pitchers or ceramic jars that kept it cool.

Donor: Chryssoula Panagiotarakou

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091 - Mortar

d1axir1si — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 07:57:23 +0000

091 - Mortar d1axir1si Mon, 03/13/2023 - 09:57

WOODEN UTENSIL used for crushing grains of crude salt gathered from salt basins (“arniakous”), which were appropriately shapes improvised cisterns inside the rocks. The mortar bears the imprint of an iron plate in its perimeter, used for fixing the wooden surface like the one at the base. It is accompanied by a wooden rod (pestle), which was used for crushing

Donor: Vasilis Kontakos

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090 - Mortar for salt

d1axir1si — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 07:55:36 +0000

090 - Mortar for salt d1axir1si Mon, 03/13/2023 - 09:55

WOODEN UTENSIL used for crushing grains of crude salt, which locals gathered from salt basins (“arniakous”), which were improvised cisterns with a suitable shape inside the rocks. The mortar bears the imprint of an iron plate in its perimeter, which was used for fixing the wooden surface, like the one at its base. It is accompanied by a wooden rod (pestle), which was used for crushing.

Donor: Vasilis Kontakos

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069 - Jerrycan

d1axir1si — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 07:17:56 +0000

069 - Jerrycan d1axir1si Mon, 03/13/2023 - 09:17

METAL CONTAINER with a lid and a handle, used for transporting oil or water. These containers were used by the army to transport fuel and were later recovered by locals, mainly for water transport. In a period when salt was a monopoly, the authorities, in an effort to combat illegal salt trade, used these jerrycans to carry and pour petroleum on salt lakes, in order to destroy them.

Donor: Takis Maniatakos

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