The Traditional Sheep Bells of Crete
Cretan sheep bells are hand-hammered from thin iron sheet and finished with a bronze coating that protects them from seawater. Cretan sheep bells sound slightly different from one another, and shepherds use that difference to tell animals apart and follow the flock by ear rather than by sight.
Why Shepherds In Crete Still Use Hand-Made Bells
Shepherds in Crete use hand-made bells because each bell's distinct sound reports what an animal is doing without the shepherd needing to see it. Shepherding ranks among the oldest professions on the island, and shepherds across Greece and Crete have hung bells on sheep and goats for generations.
A bell becomes part of a shepherd's pride once it is chosen for the flock. The shepherd monitors the animals through sound rather than sight, and the combination of bells across a flock has to work together so the whole herd sounds harmonious rather than chaotic.
The sound of a bell tells a shepherd what a single animal is doing, even out of sight:
- Grazing
- Drinking water
- Breaking away from the flock
- Wandering off and getting lost
All traditional hand-made sheep bells sound different, and that difference is what makes this kind of tracking possible in the first place.
How Is A Cretan Sheep Bell Made
To make a Cretan sheep bell, a craftsman follows 6 steps, from cutting the metal to cleaning the finished bell:
- Cut iron sheets to the size of the bell being made.
- Hammer the sheet on an anvil, using a concave mould to shape the bell's body.
- Braze or solder the suspension loop that will hold the bell to its collar.
- Heat the bell to 1,000°C for tinning.
- Insert a nail while the bell is still hot, which forms the clapper as it heats.
- Clean the finished bell and coat it in bronze, which protects the metal from seawater.
Once cleaned, the bell is ready for its working life on Crete's hillsides and pastures.
Where To See Cretan Sheep Bells Being Made
One of the few sheep-bell workshops left in Greece still operates in the village of Assites, on Crete.
A rental car makes the detour easy to fit into a longer day of sightseeing. Drivers who rent a car in Crete can add Assites to their own route and set their own pace for the day.
Contact us for more information about visiting the village.