"PALEA POTAMIA - CHIOS", the abandoned Village (Παλιά Ποταμιά). Directed, Shot & Edited by: Yiannis Zafeiris - Producer: Municipal & Regional Theater of Northern Aegean & Yiannis Zafeiris - Music: "Eleftheria" by: M. Harami
FILM INFO:
Directed, Shot & Edited by: Yiannis Zafeiris (2015)
Music: "Eleftheria" by: M. Harami
Assistant Director: Ioana Balaska
Director of Photography: Vasilis Pahoundakis
Technical Support: Ilias Kletsas/Roinides (AlphaFilmworks)
Copyediting: Ifigeneia Sotiraki
Unit Production Manager: Ioana Balaska
Production Assistants: Maria Zannikou, Yiannis & Stavros Athanasiou.
SEE ALSO (other projects):
"CHIOS LEPER COLONY" - • Λεπροκομείο Χίου - Chi...
"VOLISSOS VILLAGE - CHIOS" - • Βολισσός Χίος - "Volis...
"ANAVATOS VILLAGE - CHIOS" - • Anavatos Chios - Ανάβα...
"TOWER OF DOTIA - CHIOS" - • Tower of Dotia - Πύργο...
ABOUT "PALEA POTAMIA" VILLAGE - (INFO):
"Palea Potamia" is hidden among green hills and fields, which extend between "Aman"i and "Pelinneo" mountains. It is built in a gorge full of plants and trees, which is crossed by two streams named "Karidatos" and "Apeso". Karydatos was named after the walnut trees, which were plenty in the area. "Palea Potamia" was named after those two streams and it is well hidden because of its location. The first settlers of the village overtook the sunny part of the gorge and built their houses there - οne can see the first houses on the left side of the village. They came from a place near "Pirama" village called "Ayios Yioryis", which had a view to the sea and was easily accessible by pirates. Because of the pirates’ invasions people moved to Palea Potamia. The rest of the residents built their houses on the other side where sun was scarce. The residents of the village were about 300 at its peak.
Although the location offered security to the people, the sunrays reached the village for only two hours in the daytime, which had as a result the emergence of tuberculosis. The dangerous disease decimated the people. The place was described as unhealthy and isolated. After the diseases and the earthquake of 1949, people decided to move in 1955 and to start building Nea Potamia (Νέα Ποταμιά) village, only two kilometers away. Until 1970, when the last residents left the village, there was no electricity.
Among the ruins of the stone houses, one can still see the school, built in 1911 (by the same man who built the school of "Volissos" village later), as well as the church of "Ayios Antonis". There was a school yard and garden in front of the school and next to the yard there were the toilets and wash tubs for the people. They boiled some water and had their bath there. The old bridge of the village was made of chestnut wood. The houses were built with earth clay and on the roof people put soil. The village was connected by three roads, one main road and two others. They were narrow with steps.
There is a building to the left of the village. This building is called "Palea Vrisi". It still has water. People living close to it went there when they wanted to take some water to their houses. They usually used pots of clay or buckets for the water. The rest of the people had wells near their houses. There was also a well near the bridge. At the centre of the village one can see a big, four storey house.
Before the 2007 fire, the scenery was much more greener than now. Nowadays the ruins of the houses are in harmony with the surrounding natural environment creating a unique and terrifying scenery (Ifigenia Sotiraki)