Cycladic Identity supports the documentation and revival of Mykonos’s traditional weaving heritage through an initiative by the Mykonos Folklore Collection.
“Wool and weaving remind us that every material has an origin, a place, a time, a life behind it. Weaving is the way in which time becomes fabric.”
From the documentary The Thread of the World
The history of weaving in Mykonos, the people who kept the craft alive and its potential to evolve in the present day are explored through the initiative Reviving the Ancient Greek Art of Weaving in 21st-Century Mykonos. The programme was implemented by the Mykonos Folklore Collection with funding from Cycladic Identity, the initiative of the Museum of Cycladic Art.
For centuries, weaving was an integral part of everyday and economic life on the island. Clothing, bed linen and household textiles were made on the loom, using knowledge and techniques passed down primarily from woman to woman and from one generation to the next. The selection and processing of raw materials, spinning, setting up the loom, patterns and colours were all part of a lengthy process, deeply intertwined with local society, the island’s identity and family life.
At the heart of the initiative is the documentary The Thread of the World, which traces Mykonos’s weaving heritage through traditional techniques, tools and the processes of spinning and weaving. Particular emphasis is placed on the testimonies of older Mykonian women weavers, who share personal stories and memories. Through their accounts, the film reveals the place of weaving within the home and family life, while celebrating the resourcefulness and creativity of the women who kept the tradition alive.
The documentary also explores the role of weaving in Mykonos’s early tourism development and the growing recognition of the island’s textiles beyond its local boundaries. In this way, a traditional craft becomes part of a broader narrative of social and economic transformation, while its enduring relevance and potential for reinterpretation through contemporary creativity come into focus.
The documentary The Thread of the World is available through the Cycladic Identity website:
As part of the programme Reviving the Ancient Greek Art of Weaving in 21st-Century Mykonos, a wooden, upright vertical loom modelled on ancient designs was also constructed. Its fabrication and operation provide an opportunity to study an ancient weaving technique in practice and gain a deeper understanding of how the loom functioned.
The programme was presented to the local community of Mykonos through a two-day series of events.
The first day saw the premiere of the documentary The Thread of the World at CINE MANTO. The screening was accompanied by talks from archaeologist Dr Angeliki Kosmopoulou, archaeologist Maria Koutsoumbou and social anthropologist and Assistant Professor at Panteion University, Despoina Nazou. Their different academic perspectives highlighted weaving as a historical practice, an integral part of local social life and a field of contemporary creative expression.
On the second day, the ancient-style wooden loom was introduced to primary and secondary school students from Mykonos at the Folklore Museum. Guided by contemporary weaver Faye Chatzi, the students explored the history of weaving and became acquainted with its various stages. The aim was to introduce them to weaving not merely as a craft of the past, but as a skill that can be passed on, sustained and further developed in the present.
The Cycladic Identity Initiative
Cycladic Identity is an initiative of the Museum of Cycladic Art dedicated to protecting the cultural and natural heritage of the Cyclades and preserving and promoting the islands’ distinctive identity. With Culture, Biodiversity and Intangible Cultural Heritage as its three priority areas, the initiative operates as a platform for attracting and allocating resources to programmes implemented by organisations active across the islands.
Funding proposals are assessed by the Cycladic Identity Scientific Committee, comprising Dr Dimitris Athanasoulis, Director of the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades; Dr Michael Boyd, Senior Research Affiliate at the Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center of The Cyprus Institute; Dimitris Karavellas, Director General of WWF Greece; and Dr Angeliki Kosmopoulou, archaeologist, strategic storytelling consultant and founder of Story Mentor.
To date, the Museum of Cycladic Art’s Cycladic Identity initiative has supported 26 programmes across 15 Cycladic islands, with 10 new projects soon to be announced.
