Pelades are first and foremost the traditional fishermen’s huts for accommodation, work, protection of the ivaria (fish-farms) and storage of their equipment. So they are built typically in fish farm locations. They are very closely linked to the distinctive lagoon lifestyle and landscape of the area. The know-how of their construction has been passed down through the centuries. They are a variant of the pile dwelling, a type of house employed in many cultures over the years and which has certainly been in use since Neolithic times. This type of construction is particularly suited to aquatic environments (lakes, rivers, lagoons), as it safe against changes in the water levels.
They are structures that serve the needs of fishermen and contain a number of spaces. Access to the structure is either by boat from the sea or from the land via wooden bridges. The old, authentic pelades were made of wood, reeds, and waterproof roofing, with sides made of grass (reed), and were constructed by skilled craftsmen. Their construction, which is like that of the reed fences that marked off the ivaria-pens, was carried out by fishermen with the relevant experience and know-how, taking into account many factors, including the sea currents, the direction of the prevailing wind, the depth of the water and the configuration of the sea-bed. The pelades were used as storerooms, workshops and residences. Stasinopoulos suggests their name is taken from epi-palon “on piles”, that is, on stakes, which were tied together with rushes. These were very sturdy constructions, so much so that customs and rules were established for the transfer of the main residential equipment from one tenant to another.
Today’s pelades, which extend right across the lagoon of Tourlida, have replaced the traditional ones; they use more modern materials, and provide more amenities. They are mostly constructions of the 1970s, made of wooden planks and with zinc sheeting, and are used by fishermen and also as holiday homes. They tend to be found in clusters.
