Μιχαήλ Μπαρδάνης
Department of History & Archaeology, School of Philosophy, University of Ioannina, 2025
Type: Dissertations

Abstract :

Τhe present thesis is structured into four parts, regarding respectively: a) the typology and the use of clay bricks and roof-tiles (as well as other related building materials) in the buildings of the urban complex of Athens, b) the history of the brick‑ and roof-tile‑manufacturing sector and the trajectories of its entrepreneurs, c) labour in brickworks and d) the technology of producing both handmade and machine‑made products. The study is supplemented by three appendices that assemble rich documentary material related to the entrepreneurs and the production units they established, the workforce, as well as the products themselves (bricks) and their stamps.

The use of bricks in Athenian buildings since 1834 —the year Athens was proclaimed capital of the Greek state— until 1950 had been increased steadily. Eventually, after 1900, bricks became one of the principal construction materials. Various types of products were used, including handmade solid bricks, perforated machine‑made bricks, Byzantine and French‑type roof-tiles, pumice and cement bricks and many others.

These products were manufactured in numerous production units of various categories, which developed either scattered or concentrated in production centers within and beyond the Attica basin, as well as in the wider regions of Chalkida and Poros. The centers of Kaminia (Piraeus) and Elaionas (Athens) were the most prominent. They are classified into two major categories: a) a small number of large industrial enterprises (capital‑intensive units), known for their enlarged premises and the adoption of sophisticated technology, and b) the numerous small‑scale brick‑ and tile‑manufacturing units (labour‑intensive), with properties like attachment to traditional technology, operational flexibility, familial entrepreneurship e.t.c. A group of individuals —industrialists, merchants, investors, engineers, landowners, potters, brickmaking workers e.c.t.— were involved in their establishment. Particularly distinct was the presence of the ethno‑local labour network formed by brick‑makers from Kythnos, Within a highly competitive environment, a slow and gradual transition from handmade to machine-made production took place and a great antagonism between “small” and “large” producers was developed. This, led to the transformation of the sector after 1950.

Labour in clay building materials manufacturing, which was associated with the employed techniques and the technological developments in the sector, was characterised by harsh working conditions and high levels of occupational hazard. Gender‑ and age‑based divisions of labour are documented across all categories of brickyards. Men held the dominant role, while women’s participation in production and administration, as well as child labour, were well known. Production, especially in labour‑intensive units, often relied on subcontracting systems. Additionally, workforce, which was composed of locals, Kythnians (initially seasonal migrants), other internal migrants, foreigners, and refugees from Asia Minor (after 1922), was gathered around the major production centers.

Regarding technology, within the spatial and temporal boundaries examined here, it was observed that large enterprises imported machinery, attempting the production of high-quality and mechanized goods from a very early stage. In parallel, labour‑intensive units adopted the internationally widespread handmade production of bricks and roof-tiles and its various local variations. The process comprised clay winning and preparation, moulding, drying and firing. After 1920, these units proceed to the production of machine‑made brick through the gradual mechanisation of certain stages of the making process. Nevertheless, the production of handmade items continued in parallel until 1950.

Concluding, the comprehensive examination of the brick‑ and tile‑industry reveals previously unknown aspects of the urban, economic, entrepreneurial and social history of Athens (1834 – 1950), as well as issues of labour history, history of technology, building sector development and building materials.

 

Defence Committee:

Leda Papastefanaki, Professor, Dept. of History & Archaeology, University of Ioannina (Supervisor)

Christina Agriantoni, Emeritus Professor, University of Thessaly

Manolis Korres, Emeritus Professor, National Technical University of Athens

Petros Koufopoulos, Professor, Dept. of Architecture, University of Patras

Anna Mahaira, Professor, Dept. of History & Archaeology, University of Ioannina

Vasilis Nitsiakos, Professor, Dept. of History & Archaeology, University of Ioannina

Anna Madylara, Ass. Professor, Dept. of History & Archaeology, University of Ioannina