In Erithres (Kriekouki) a region belonging to the prefecture of Attica, there is a well. Its construction is speculated in the middle of the 19th century (1860 to 1865) and perhaps even earlier when the first inhabitants settled in the area. The well was used by the end of the 19th century by Demetrios Belsis as a source of income (selling water).

Erithres are characterized by the scientists as a region which completely lacks superficial water resources. Inhabitants’ need of water supply was fulfilled until the middle of the 1960 by wells (called “pouset” in the Arvanite dialect). Those wells served for people and animal irrigation and other agricultural and household activities. Among those wells is the one mentioned here, which was called by the locals “pousi Demetr Belsi”.

The well is stonebuilt and its depth reaches approximately the 15een meters. It still maintains the stone trough where people use to wash their clothing, the barrel which was used for the water transportation by the animals, as well as the original iron winch along with its bucket. The well is preserving its original form and remains still in use by the locals. The water coming out of the well springs from Kithairon mountain and according to oral evidence flows from the same spring which ancient Greeks used during the historical battle of Plataea.

Unfortunately the well is nowadays under the threat of demolition due to illegal actions aiming to a pointless opening of a road.

mpelsis@gmail.com