Kosmas / The "Giorgantzades" and the Combs

The profession of comb-maker was exercised for many years, exclusively in all Greece, by the men of Kosmas. Those that made combs for weaving out of reeds were called "Giorgatzades". Equally well known as the combs were the famous hand-made woven fabric and embroidery of Kosmas, designed and made by the women of Kosmas by hand, using the loom. For the "Giorgatzades" craftsmen, with the experience that they had, but also the enjoyment that they took in their craft, their work became easy.

The pace and the speed with which they wove their combs, sitting on a wooden stool, were truly noteworthy. In one day, good craftsmen could make up to eight combs. They dedicated their entire self to making the comb, methodically taking care of every detail, giving each comb original and spontaneous beauty, as they felt, by making combinations of colors (a yellow reed with a red or a white one, or a black or blue thread) in order to give the comb its unique graceful appearance. On the "head" of the comb, according to how they felt, they engraved dates and symbols (crosses, hearts, suns, flowers, etc.), names, and of course, the name of their village, with which they feel an emotional connection even today.

It deserves to be mentioned that the "Giorgatzades" were characterized by a well-developed sense of being a group, and they considered their skill to be unique. This is proven by the fact that they had developed their own dialect among themselves, the "Giorgatzidika", which possibly helped them keep the secrets of their trade.

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