The Cretan ring-shaped door handle or knocker is known locally as a krikos, krikeli or kerkeli. It is a wrought-iron fixture with local variations, found on outer doors in both rural and urban areas. Usually there are two matching door rings, one on each leaf of the door.
The kerkeli is comprised of the ring, the decorative rosette and the shank.
The ring is made from an iron bar which is square in section. Its front, visible side is decorated.
The shank is the part to which the ring is attached. It consists of a flat piece of metal bent double with conical tips, forming a small loop in the centre. It passes through the door from the front, while the ends are turned back on themselves and nailed into the wood from the back. The ring swings freely from the loop.
The rosette is fixed to the door at the base of the shank. It is circular in shape with incised and perforated decoration. It becomes slightly convex when worked, making it stand out in relief.
Often two rosettes are used, one smaller than the other. The craftsman can thus vary the size of each ring and rosette depending on the size of the door.
This simple type of door knocker with one or two rosettes and a ring is one of the most widespread across Crete. Equally common is the type with a horseshoe-shaped knocker, rectangular in section, with a decorated front.
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