Artesanía de Galicia - POTSFINK

Traditional basketryThere are three specialties in traditional basketry: wicker, thatch and wood.Wicker basket work is also known as twig basket work, given that one can use othertypes of flexible twig bushes such as willow, gorse, genista, cytisus, myrtle, hazel orelm. These twigs are woven with different techniques and are made into different formsdepending on their use. Stripped wicker corresponds to urban basketry, while wickerwith skin is for rural uses.In thatch or rye straw basketry one rolls a sheaf into the shape of a spiral, tied up witha strip from another plant. They are very tightly woven baskets, so they were ideal forthe carrying seeds, grain and even flour.The basket-maker has to manipulate the split or sliced wood, getting the blades fromthe trunks of chestnuts, willows or oaks. In intertwining these strips one can above allmake the patelas, elongated and shallow baskets used particularly for carrying fish.22