SPONGE FACTORY.PAPACHATZIS. At the Factory: Kalymnos and sponges are two inseparable concepts for the Greeks. Sponges are known as “the Kalymnian Gold”. This barren rocky island located in the south-eastern Aegean Sea could not offer anything to the islanders to make their living. The villagers thus turned towards the sea for their survival and sponge fishing became particularly popular on the island. Thus the Kalymnians turned to the sea, holding their breath to cut sponges from the flat and sharp rocks. However, they could not stay long underwater. Later, a rubberized diving suit called "skafandro" with a bronze helmet became popular allowing the sponge hunters to stay underwater for a long duration. Though the process was very risky, the spongers could harvest sponges in large numbers. They were later collected in warehouses for processing. These warehouses were gradually modified into full-fledged sponge factories. There sponges were processed in large quantities and they were sold to natives or exported. This tradition has today declined as natural sponges have been substituted by plastic sponges, made by factories in large quantities. Moreover, this process was particularly dangerous for the divers, so the locals have turned to other sources of income, such as tourism. Only few sponge factories remains at the capital of the island, Pothia, to remind locals and visitors this tradition. Some of this factories are open to visit, to get informed on the history of sponge-fishing, the methods used to dive, the process of elaborating sponges and to see from close enough workers elaborate sponges today.
Kalymnos and sponges are two inseparable concepts for the Greeks. Sponges are known as “the Kalymnian Gold”. This barren rocky island located in the south-eastern Aegean Sea could not offer anything to the islanders to make their living. The villagers thus turned towards the sea for their survival and sponge fishing became particularly popular on the island. Thus the Kalymnians turned to the sea, holding their breath to cut sponges from the flat and sharp rocks. However, they could not stay long underwater. Later, a rubberized diving suit called "skafandro" with a bronze helmet became popular allowing the sponge hunters to stay underwater for a long duration. Though the process was very risky, the spongers could harvest sponges in large numbers. They were later collected in warehouses for processing. These warehouses were gradually modified into full-fledged sponge factories. There sponges were processed in large quantities and they were sold to natives or exported. This tradition has today declined as natural sponges have been substituted by plastic sponges, made by factories in large quantities. Moreover, this process was particularly dangerous for the divers, so the locals have turned to other sources of income, such as tourism. Only few sponge factories remains at the capital of the island, Pothia, to remind locals and visitors this tradition. Some of this factories are open to visit, to get informed on the history of sponge-fishing, the methods used to dive, the process of elaborating sponges and to see from close enough workers elaborate sponges today.
