Following the traces of Naxian emery

S. Kritikou & I. MalegiannakiSecondary Education of Cyclades

2nd High School of Naxos

12th International Congress of the Geological Society of Greece

Patras, May 2010

2

obsidian

silver

marble

emery

Found in lenticular formation. Developed through the process of

metamorphism of bauxites (Alpine deformation - 75.000.000-25.000.000 years ago).

Principal component: Corundum ( lΑ 2Ο3): 55-65% (first quality), 50-55% (second quality) and < 45% (third quality).

Also contains hematite (Fe2O3) and magnetite (Fe3O4).

Other materials that may be found: micas, tourmaline, kynite, diaspore, rutile, staurolite, vesuvianite, pyrite, sillimanite, chlorite, feldspars, apatite, garnets.

Corundum

Corundum: the reason of emery’s great hardness (7 -9 on MOHS scale) and abrading attributes.

Use of Emery : smoothing of surfaces, sand blast and as an anti-slipping material for the construction of roads.

Known since antiquity as “Naxian stone”, was used for the creation of artefacts such as the Cycladic statuettes.

Very important factor of Naxos’ prosperity mainly for the first half of the 20th century.

Found mostly on the mountain Ammomaxi, in NE Naxos. Mining right, since Turkish Domination: a privilege of the

inhabitants of Apeiranthos, Koronos, Danakos, Mesi, Skado and Keramoti.

Transport of emery down to the port of Moutsouna: primarily with donkeys.

1929-1978: use of “Enaerios”, an aerial system of transportation using wire ropes and buckets.

90’s: naxian emery was pushed aside commercially because of artificial corundum and expansion of the Turkish emery.

Nowadays: emery mines, mining machinery, piles of the mineral in Moutsouna are declared preservable by the Ministry of Culture.

Starting point of the project: geology. For the understanding of position, creation and

properties of this mineral: contribution of geography and chemistry.

Elements of ancient and modern technology. Understanding of the role of Naxian highlanders

in mining and sale of emery: sociology, history. Group’s research on the spot had an

anthropologic- ethnographic character.

Constructivist learning theory: emphasis on the active participation of the learner in the procedure of knowledge : the starting point of learning is the learner’s pre-existing

knowledge, attitude and interests. learning arises by the interaction of the above with

experience. Theory of situated learning: learning is a

multifarious procedure determined by socio-cultural parameters: Knowledge inseparably connected to actions. Task distribution. Real world learning tasks as part of a complete project.

To learn about emery in a pleasant and amusing way.

To learn how to cooperate as a team. To create pedagogical material concerning the

emery issue, available to other schools – “The emery educational kit”.

To propose solutions for the sustainable development of the emery mining regions of Naxos island.

To inform a broader public, outside Naxos, about a material that played a significant role in Greek history.

The team interviewed ex miners. We visited the geological museum. We entered a mining gallery and

took part in the mining procedure.

We interviewed ex miners. We visited an emery station

and a mining gallery in Stravolagada.

We saw the remnants of the aerial railway “enaerios”.

We traveled to Athens, where a specialized geologist from the Museum of Mineralogy and Petrology in the University of Athens, initiated us to concepts like geoconservation and geotourism.

In the mining park Vagonetto, in Amfissa, we got acquainted with the idea of transforming a deserted mining gallery into a museum.

The “emery educational kit” includes: An information booklet concerning the

mineral emery. A puzzle game relative to emery mining. An educational board game about emery. A documentary film produced by the team,

entitled “Following the traces of naxian Emery”.

Method used: division of a goal in sub goals:Our topic was divided up in

smaller units given in a query form.

Each student gathered information about each question.

The unification of the material gathered created the booklet.

Keeping in mind that learning through entertainment is more sufficient, the team constructed the emery game.

The players take the role of emery miners trying to arrive to the Moutsouna port in order to weigh amounts of the mineral.

Ways to proceed: a correct answer or a correct dramatization of an act relative to emery mining.

Obstacles: a holiday, a gardening task, an illness etc.

The winner is: whoever arrives first at the port with the greatest amount of emery.

Players, besides learning about the emery mining, get acquainted with elements of the tradition and the culture of mountainous Naxos.

Our young cameramen recorded on film all their escapades.

We gathered all the films and, with the help of a professional director, we produced a 35 minute documentary film “Following the traces of naxian Emery” .

During the realization of the documentary, the team had the chance to learn all about the phases involving film producing, camera handling, and dramatization.

The film production gave the team strong stimulus and integrated all their actions in a framework of problem solving and artistic creation.

The shooting of a documentary really helped in the achievement of learning via experience (learning by doing).

All the conclusions and the material produced during the project were presented to the public, in a special presentation that was organized in the town hall of Naxos.

The project “Following the traces of Naxian emery” constitutes an example of application of geodidactics – through a cross thematic framework – in environmental education.

A school team became engaged in the creation of a complete research and artistic work, addressed to the local society and a broader public.

The students became active creators of a more meaningful learning.

The project, an example of creative and amusing learning, has left students and teachers a notable remembrance of the school year 2007-8.