Most ancient Athenians shared an admiration of craftsmanship, even though tradesmen themselves were stereotyped as stupid and untrustworthy in popular songs and plays or were derided by philosophers as servile and vulgar. The early lawgiver, Solon (630-560 BCE), made it law that every citizen must have an occupation, and that every father must ensure that his sons were trained in a craft. True skill was described by the concept of metis, meaning not just technical know-how, but also wisdom, resourcefulness, and inventiveness. Another term, techne, means both art and craft, and alludes to the ‘mysteries’ of craft, skills that can be learned from without, as opposed to sophia, which is “inner wisdom”. The trials of Daedalus and Odysseus illustrate that achieving mastery in any field requires long years of dedication and endurance. The ideal carpenter, possessing both metis and techne, expresses the virtue and pride of craftmanship.
Mysteries of the Carpenter 
