Drouvades (sacks), vouryies (shoulder bags) and sakoulia (small bags) were once - and in many parts of Crete still are - items of everyday use for Cretan farmers and shepherds.
In spite of their limited surface area, these items are often very richly and elaborately woven. These small masterpieces of art and craftsmanship are extremely interesting.
In all small woven fabrics with “loom embroidery” decoration, the surface is rigidly arranged with strict adherence to inviolable rules - at least in older woven fabrics - some of which appear to hold true across the whole of Crete, while others belong to the particular tradition of each area.
The arrangement of motifs in bands and the symmetry of the decoration along the vertical axis is a characteristic of all Cretan xobliasta bags: there is always a central band - which in some areas is considered particularly important - forming the axis of symmetry for the woven decoration.
On vouryies and drouvades are found the same motifs that adorn large woven fabrics, and also other, special motifs which seem to be used exclusively on small woven fabrics.
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