BAZ∂OS TOWER

Sailing on the ARCHIPELAGO Preface

Within the context of its active, practical par- ticipation in cultural matters – not only in the urban centres but in the periphery as well – Alpha Bank decided, in conjunction with the Benaki Museum, to contribute to the exhibition "Sailing on the Archipelago" that is being organised by the "Aeon" Cultural Organisation at Bazeos Tower on during the summer of 2004. The artefacts in the exhibition have come from the Benaki Museum and from the Alpha Bank col- lection of maps and landscape paintings by European travellers to the Aegean from the 15th to the 19th century. In addition, material sup- plementing this picture of the period has been provided by the National History Museum, the Maritime Museum of and the Numismatic Museum. In recognition of the on-going efforts and sig- S. Pinargenti: ∞rchipelago, 1573. Alpha Bank Collection nificant work accomplished by the "Aeon" Cultural Organisation, Alpha Bank is pleased to sponsor the printed matter for this exhibition.

ALPHA BANK

3 Sailing on the ARCHIPELAGO From Venetian Rule to the Struggle for Independence

The , a uniquely beautiful cluster of islands in the middle of the , form an imaginary bridge between conti- nental Greece and Asia Minor. With a civil- isation that goes back in time to 3000 BC, the islands have been washed ceaselessly by the waves of history that have shaped both its natural surroundings and its peo- ple.

F.J.J. von Reilly: ∞egeo Pelagos, 1789. Alpha Bank Collection Byzantine Dromond, model, Maritime Museum of Greece. During the Byzantine period, the Cyclades belonged to the Aegean Sea theme. The dromond was a ship that protected the maritime domain and ensured Byzantine naval supremacy.

5 The Mapping the Archipelago

After was sacked by the As the islands of the Aegean have always soldiers of the in 1204 and been an unavoidable intermediary point in the was carved up among maritime communications between West and the Franks and the Venetians, the Most East, and a point of both meeting and con- Serene Republic of Saint Mark acceded to frontation between different cultures, the position of the dominant naval power they very soon became the object of obser- in the eastern Mediterranean for the next vation, description and depiction. The five centuries. On behalf of the persistent mapping of the islands and Venetian , Serenissima, Venetian nobles sought to indeed by cartographers from different model, Maritime conquer both the Cyclades and the other countries indicates their importance to Museum of Greece. islands of the Aegean that had not been the powers of the times. Venetian ship pro- included in the division of Byzantine The word "archipelago" – arcipelago in pelled by oars and lands. In 1207, Marco Sanudo, one of these Italian, archipel in French – which is used supplemented by nobles, seized a large number of Cycladic to describe a group of islands or a sea sail, which dominat- islands on which he established the Duchy with many islands in it, originated in the ed the Mediterranean of the Aegean or of the Archipelago, with from the 13th century Aegean as a corruption of the Greek term headquarters on Naxos. to the 18th century. "Aegiopelago", meaning "Aegean Sea" by Frankish sailors. Following a long period of intense rivalry, The gold and silver coins of the the Ottomans managed to prevail over the Serenissima, ruler of the seas, were recog- Venetians in the Aegean. They abolished nised as the most stable unit of interna- the Duchy of the Archipelago in 1566 and tional currency for trade purposes and annexed all the Cyclades to the Ottoman widely used by the inhabitants of the Empire with the exception of which islands remained under Venetian rule until 1715.

Venetian Republic, Venetian Republic, silver ducato nuovo gold ducato of the or ducatello of the Doge Francesco Doge Domenico Foscari (1423- Contarini (1659- 1457), , 1674), Athens, Numismatic Museum Numismatic Museum.

6 7 G. Rosaccio: ∞nafi, 1598. Alpha Bank Collection

S. Pinargenti: ¡axos, 1573. Alpha Bank Collection

G. Rosaccio: ∞morgos, 1598. Alpha Bank Collection G. Rosaccio: , 1598. Alpha Bank Collection

9 Foreign Travellers from the 17th to the 19th century.

Even though images of the Cyclades were found only sporadically in writings by Europeans who visited Greece from the 17th to the 19th centuries, depictions of them in illustrated travel books and original paintings constitute valuable sources of visual testimony about the landscape, architecture, antiquities, clothing, tra- ditions and customs of the islands’ inhab- itants in the and during the period of Ottoman rule.

View of Naxos with Portara, 1799, watercolour by Thomas Hope. Benaki Museum

Seafarers from antiquity to the present day have faced dangers at sea, such as ship- wrecks and , by praying, promising and making offerings to the saints both before and after the miracles that saved them.

Engraved offering (tama) depicting a Traditional caïque with costume of , detailed rendering 1716, of actual fishing Engraving. equipment. Benaki Museum Benaki Museum.

10 11 The Development of Shipping The Naval Struggle of 1821

Social and economic reorganisation in the By the early 19th century, the Greeks, a Aegean began in the early 18th century. traditionally seafaring people, had To the administrative advantages enjoyed acquired a noteworthy level of maritime by the Aegean islands as of 1701 were trade, crews with valuable military expe- added trade privileges after the Russo- rience, and a dynamic class of ship owners Turkish War (1768-1774). At the same time, and captains. When the War of the abolition of the Venetian Republic by Independence began in 1821, the inhabi- the French (1797), Anglo-French rivalry tants of the Aegean were well prepared for during the Napoleonic Wars (1792-1815) the great struggle. and the suppression of piracy created fur- ther favourable conditions for the Mando Mavrogenous led the uprising of her islanders to become more active in trade compatriots on against the Caravel earrings and for the development of Greek merchant made of gold and Ottomans. She equipped and manned two shipping. enamel, Siphnos, ships and took an active part in the naval 17th-18th century. campaigns against the Turkish fleet. Benaki Museum. During the War, she was given the title of Lieutenant General, a unique honour for a woman at that time.

8 reales, Ferdinand VII of (1808-1823), minted in 1821. Portrait of Mando Athens, Numismatic Museum. Mavrogenous, oil The Spanish thaler, known in Greece from the painting by Ph. end of the 17th century as distela or kolonata, Zonaras, 1901. was an all-powerful international currency National History unit; these were the coins that ship owners Museum. from seafaring islands hoarded away in their chests.

12 13 CONTRIBUTORS TO THE EXHIBITION

ORGANISATIONAL SUPPORT MUSICAL SUPERVISION Philippos Mazarakis, Nikos Xydakis, Composer National History Museum ORGANISATION Yorka Nikolaou, Numismatic "Aeon" Cultural, Museum Non-profit Organisation Irene Orati, Alpha Bank Art Pratinou 72, 116 34 Collections Department Athens, Tel. 210-72.58.741, Aris Rapidis, Alpha Bank Art email: [email protected] Collections Department Benaki Museum, Maritime Cleopatra Rigaki, Maritime Museum of Greece, Museum of Greece Numismatic Museum, Kate Synodinou, Benaki National History Museum, Museum Alpha Bank Art Collections Fani-Maria Tsingakou, Department. Benaki Museum PARTICIPATION Sophia Handaka, Benaki Naval Academy, Museum of Greek Women Map of Greece, engraving, 19th century. GENERAL of , Benaki Museum. SUPERVISION-COORDINATION Catholic Archdiocese Marios Vazeos, "AEON" of Naxos and Tinos. Cultural Organisation SUPPORT After the War of Independence, the Ministry of Culture, TRANSLATION Cyclades were incorporated into the new Ministry of the Aegean, Judy Giannakopoulou Greek state in 1830, and as an integral Municipality of Drymalia, Naxos. part of the nation from then on, followed the course of its history

SPONSORS COMMUNICATION SPONSOR

14 15 BAZ∂OS TOWER 12th km. Chora-Ayiassos road, Naxos Tel. 22850 31 402

Duration of Exhibition: 17/7 – 12/9/2004 Open: 10.00 – 17.00 Weekdays

The printing of this leaflet was made possible through the kind sponsorship of Alpha Bank