Pyrgi (Painted Village)

In the south of Chios, in the group of villages that grow the island's famous mastic, Pyrgi stands out for the way its walls are decorated. Nearly every house in the village is covered with black-and-white geometric patterns, scratched into plaster with the technique known locally as xysta, which has earned it the nickname of the Painted Village. The effect is striking: streets and squares in a continuous pattern of triangles, diamonds, flowers and zigzags that looks almost like a piece of fabric stretched over the stone.

The technique is a form of sgraffito. A wall is first covered with a dark layer, made of cement mixed with volcanic sand and ash, and then coated with white lime. Craftsmen scratch designs into the white coat with a sharp tool, revealing the grey layer beneath, and the pattern emerges as the plaster dries. It is likely that the practice arose in the period of Genoese rule on the island, from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century, and the designs recall Mediterranean and Middle Eastern motifs. Some patterns are inspired by local plants, and others by the geometry of nearby textiles, and the craft has been passed down through families.

The village itself has a fortified layout typical of the mastic villages. The outer houses formed a continuous wall with a few gates, and inside, narrow lanes and covered passages connect closely packed buildings around a central square. Many of the old walls have been altered, but the plan remains clear, and covered archways link the houses above the lanes. The main square, with its church and shaded cafes, is the centre of social life. In late summer, tomatoes, for which Pyrgi is known, are often hung out to dry on balconies and on the walls of the square.

One of the best-known monuments is the church of the Holy Apostles, a small Byzantine church of the fourteenth century with well-preserved frescoes that show the high quality of local painting. The church stands in a lane near the centre, and the key is usually kept nearby.

Visitors should remember that Pyrgi is a living village, not a museum, and visitors should respect the privacy of residents and wander quietly. Chian villages like this one are best seen by car, and Pyrgi is about 25 kilometres from Chios Town and best reached by car, and visitors usually combine it with nearby Mesta, the beaches of the south coast and the mastic groves. Morning light is best for photographs.