Agios Efstratios may be small and remote, but its story is one of resilience and creativity. My artistic mother, Thalia Zervas, never stops creating, and her latest masterpiece is a deeply personal tribute to this tiny Greek island. She has been reconstructing a detailed clay model of the island’s main village as it once was — a labour of love she began in 1996 after returning from Australia to live in Athens.
Now, almost three decades later, that model is housed in a beautiful display case and proudly exhibited in the Agios Efstratios Town Hall. My two sisters, our families, and I couldn’t be more proud, and want to share the significance of her project with the world.
Thalia Zervas in August 2025 with the completed model in the Town Hall of Agios Efstratios
The Lost Village of Agios Efstratios
Agios Efstratios (locally, Ai Stratis) is a quiet, isolated island in the northeast Aegean Sea, about 30 km southwest of Lemnos. On 19 February 1968, a devastating 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck, levelling most of its traditional hillside village. Almost all the old stone houses perched on the slope above the harbour were destroyed.
In the quake’s aftermath, residents were relocated into identical prefabricated concrete houses in the island’s lower valley, and the old “Chora” (village) on the hilltop was abandoned. My grandmother received a one bedroom home to live in at the time which my mother decorated and painted the walls with her art (lots of mermaids), is now our modest yet charming little island getaway. A handful of original stone buildings survived and have since been restored, but much of the unique character of the village was lost.
The impact went beyond buildings — many islanders left entirely, joining the Greek diaspora overseas, including in Australia. Today, only a couple of hundred people live on the island year-round, but the memory of the old village remains strong among those who once walked its streets or heard stories from elders.
Thalia Zervas, 1996 beginning the clay model in Athens.
A Labour of Love, Decades in the Making
My mother, born in 1944, grew up on Agios Efstratios until the mid 1960s. She remembers every street, the church, schools, each home as they stood before the earthquake. In 1996, she began recreating the village in clay, working from her own vivid memory and old photographs to capture each house, church, and courtyard.
The work was slow and meticulous. For years it remained unfinished, set aside as life moved forward. Then, a few years ago, she returned to it with renewed energy, shaping and painting until the village took form once more — not as ruins, but as it had been when she was a young girl.
The rebirth of the project in the Agios Efstratios island home of Thalia Zervas
Recognition at Last: From Kitchen Table to Town Hall
For many years, the clay model lived in my mothers Athens home, often spread across her art studio table or stored safely away. Now, in 2025, it has found a public home. The municipality of Agios Efstratios provided a custom-built display case in the Town Hall, where the entire clay village is currently on exhibit.
Visitors can see the layout of the old Chora exactly as it was — the clustered stone houses with tiled roofs, winding paths, row of windmills, and the key landmarks that gave the village its identity. It is both a work of art and a record of cultural heritage.
Adding the paint and mapping out the old town.
Why This Work Matters
This clay model is a historically significant reconstruction created by someone who lived that history. It preserves the architecture, layout, and atmosphere of the village before the earthquake changed it forever.
Importantly, this Town Hall exhibition means that Thalia Zervas’s art is finally getting the audience it deserves. It’s not just a nostalgic diorama for former residents – it stands as a work of art and a piece of historical preservation. In Greece, we often celebrate our ancient heritage (classical ruins, Byzantine churches, etc.), but modern local history can sometimes be overlooked. This clay model highlights the island heritage of Agios Efstratios – a period of everyday life, vernacular architecture, and community design that was almost erased overnight. By painstakingly recreating it, my mother has saved that heritage from oblivion. I am hopeful that regional and national cultural authorities will take note of this achievement. My mother deserves recognition at the highest levels for contributing something truly unique to Greek culture and art – essentially a time-capsule of a vanished village.
How You Can Support This Project
Even with the model now safely displayed, our journey isn’t over. In fact, we see this as the beginning of a new chapter – one where this artwork can educate and inspire others. To ensure my mother’s contribution receives its due recognition (and to perhaps ease some of the personal costs she has incurred over the decades), we are considering several ways forward:
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Spread the Word: If you find this story as inspiring as I do, please share it. Tell friends and family about the clay village of Agios Efstratios. Share this blog or news articles about it on social media, using our hashtags #AiStrati #AgiosEfstratios #GreekIslandHistory #HistoryMatters #GreekHistory #GreekArt. The more people know about it, the better chance we have of garnering support and awareness.
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Official Recognition: We welcome ideas for getting institutional recognition for Thalia’s work. This could mean nominating her for an arts or heritage award, or simply reaching out to organisations like the Greek Ministry of Culture, museums, or universities that focus on folk art and history. An official nod – even just a letter of commendation or an invitation to exhibit her model in a museum – would mean the world to her. If you have connections or suggestions in this area, please let us know.
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Donations and Funding: A project like this, done purely out of pocket, comes with expenses (art materials, travel, display construction, etc.). We would love to see some recompense for my mother’s efforts. To that end, I am exploring setting up a donation fund or crowdfunding campaign. Contributions could help cover the remaining costs of the project and perhaps fund the creation of a permanent exhibition space or educational program around the model. If you’re interested in contributing – financially or with sponsorship connections – please get in touch with me at popifineart@gmail.com. Even small donations, collectively, can show her how much people value her work.
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Visit and Experience: If you ever travel to Agios Efstratios, do stop by the Town Hall to see the model in person. Not only will this support the island (which is always happy to welcome respectful visitors), but it will also give you a tangible sense of the island’s history. You’ll be able to appreciate the scale and detail that photos simply can’t capture. And don’t forget to sign the guestbook with your thoughts – knowing that her work has touched visitors deeply is a huge reward in itself.
By recreating the Agios Efstratios of her childhood in clay, my mother has given locals, the diaspora, and future generations a precious gift: a window into the past that can be seen, touched, and remembered. Together, we can ensure this work is celebrated, preserved, and supported for years to come.
Thank you mum, you are an unstoppable creative force and inspire my every day.
Love and light,
Popi Iatrou
