The traditional home of Karpathos was a bizarre assortment of elegance, functionality, and unexpected materials. It consisted of one long single room, which was divided into two parts down the middle. The part nearest the entrance was used for receiving guests. Traditionally the floor was paved with manure! The inner part was again subdivided into smaller spaces. Below were the storerooms and above them the beds, accessible by steps. Plates, cups, and household utensils adorned the walls, while the houses of the wealthiest residents were decorated with wood carvings in intricate patterns and griffin heads.