Traditional patterns in Pyrgi of Chios: Mathematics and community

Abstract

Ethnomathematical research has revealed interesting artifacts in several cultures all around the world. Although the majority of them come from Africa, some interesting ones exist in Western cultures too. Xysta of Pyrgi are a designing tradition that concerns the construction of mainly geometrical patterns on building façades by scratching plaster. The history and the culture of the community, the way that this tradition is connected with them, as well as the informal mathematical ideas that are incorporated in this tradition are some of the issues that are explored here. © 2007 Kim Williams Books.