Skyrian Wood-Carving & Traditional Furniture
Skyros is famous for its hand-carved wooden furniture, the diminutive chairs and tables of the traditional Skyrian house. The craft, where to see it, and where to buy a piece.
Last updated 29 June 2026
Look through any window in Chora and you’ll see them: small, intricately carved wooden chairs and tables, unmistakably Skyrian. Wood-carving is one of the island’s oldest and most distinctive crafts, and it is still very much alive.
In short: Skyros is renowned for its hand-carved wooden furniture, the diminutive chairs, tables and chests made for the island’s small traditional rooms, worked from local Aleppo (Apello) pine. You can see the finest examples in the Faltaits Museum, watch carvers at work in Chora’s workshops, and buy a piece directly from the makers.
A craft built to fit
Skyrian wood-carving grew from necessity and pride. The traditional Skyrian house was a single, carefully arranged room, so its furniture was made small and intricate to fit: low chairs, compact tables, carved chests and shelves, each surface worked with patterns. The wood is the island’s own Apello pine, and the carving turns a practical object into a piece of folk art.
Where to see it
The best place to understand the craft is the Faltaits Folklore Museum in Chora, where carved furniture sits alongside the costumes and ceramics that share its decorative language. Around the town, woodcarving workshops open their doors, and at sites like Thesis Wood, a short drive from Chora, you can get a hands-on feel for the chiselling and shaping that go into each piece.
Buying a piece
Carved furniture and smaller ornaments are sold in the shops and workshops of Chora, often by families who have practised the craft for generations. Buying directly from a maker supports a living tradition, and a small carved stool or box is a souvenir that lasts a lifetime. For edible souvenirs to go with it, see local products to take home.
FAQ
Why is Skyrian furniture so small? It was made to fit the single, compact room of the traditional Skyrian house, every piece carved to be both useful and decorative.
What wood is used? The island’s local Aleppo (Apello) pine.
Where can I buy carved furniture? From the workshops and shops in Chora, ideally directly from the makers.
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