Various professions

Most of the rural population of Crete earned their livelihood through agriculture or livestock farming. Many were also engaged in small trade and traditional crafts. Craftsmen and merchants held the highest economic and social status, followed by livestock breeders, while farmers ranked last in this hierarchy.
In several of these traditional crafts, I had apprenticed and worked myself. Today, I can easily recall the techniques and the processes involved in carrying out these occupations, which are described in this chapter.