Stone built water fountain

The stone-built water fountain of the village square, with its abundant running waters offers a separate beauty to the area and signals the village in the thoughts and minds of locals as wells as visitors. Its place is the heartbeat of the village, the reference point in the daily routine of the people of Karia. When the graceful women of Karia, dressed in the traditional Lefkadian costume, went to the spring and carried water in the "tentzeres" (copper pots) or casks on their heads, without a single drop of it falling, and evoking the admiration of all those present. This familiar imageordaily life was the source of inspiration for folk dance teacher Nikolaos Thanos, who in the 1960s choreographed the lefkadian dance of "the women with the tentzeres", a dance which originated from the harmonious matching between a traditional lefkadian tune and the trailing dance of the women with the tentzeres balanced on their heads. The spring of Karia was an opportunity for visitors to rest, it was the meeting-point of the locals and the "maiden market" (place for young women to be seen by young men) of its time. Until today, the fountain continues to open handedly offer its fresh running water....

Pascal Brackman