The water pumps of Sinasos were a meeting point for girls and young women, where they could see their friends, share their secrets and socialise; a necessity in a strict, isolating environment which did not encourage women’s socialization. The young women of Sinasos would go to the pumps to fill their pots with water for everyday household use.
To protect the shoulders of their painstakingly constructed outfits from wear, they placed an ‘archaletsi’ over their right shoulder, a handmade cloth cover which they had usually made themselves. The ‘archaletsi’ could be plain or decorated, adorned with patterns, embroideries, charms, beads or other ornaments. The fact that these shoulder covers were detachable and worn every day allowed their makers to create elaborate versions that could act as accessories to the traditional women’s outfit which was usually quite conservative in its use of colour and pattern.
These shoulder covers were among the things that the girls and women of Sinasos brought with them to Greece, either because they thought they would be useful in their new life or because they held some sentimental value. Over the years, the shoulder covers became obsolete and many of those women donated theirs to the ‘Nea Sinasos’ Association Museum where they are still kept today.
