Greek Potter Preserves Ancient Craft, Earns Prestigious UNESCO Honor

Nikos Kouvdis, a 70-year-old potter, and his family have worked hard to keep an old pottery tradition alive on the Greek island of Lesbos. This tradition, which comes from the village of Mandamados, has now been honored by UNESCO and added to the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Unlike modern pottery made by machines, Kouvdis and his family still make pottery by hand using local clay. They use a traditional kiln, which is heated by olive pits, and paint the pottery with natural lime. This method makes their pottery one of the last in the Mediterranean to be made in this way.

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Kouvdis feels proud that his work has been recognized by UNESCO. "It’s an honor for me," he said. He explained that machines can make pottery much faster, but there is no connection to the old methods. "There’s no continuity," he said, "and no space for (our) method to continue."

Even though making pottery by hand is slow and hard, Kouvdis loves what he does. He continues to make pottery on land that overlooks the Aegean Sea. "Above all, it’s a passion—trying to create something that fulfills you," he said. 

Through his hard work and love for the craft, Kouvdis keeps this ancient pottery tradition alive.