Starting with the ceramics of Grottaglie, in the province of Taranto, whose old part is dedicated to the workshops of artisans who pass the craft from father to son.
To purchase, besides the unglazed terracotta oil jars, the ciarle (vases with lids and handles typical of Apulia); the albarelli (the beautiful pharmacy jars, with deep blue decorations); the holy water fonts which, in the past, were placed next to the bridal bed on the bride’s side; the soup tureens with beautiful eighteenth-century shapes and much more. Among the best-known workshops are those of Gaetano Fasano, on Via Caravaggio, and Domenico Caretta, on Via Crispi.
Lecce is instead the land of master papier-mâché artists who, with this very poor material, whose craftsmanship dates back to the seventeenth century, create wonderful things: masks, nativity figurines, sacred and profane subjects. On Via Vittorio Emanuele, among many, there is the workshop of Claudio Riso, where it is possible to follow the various stages of production.
And, next to the beautiful church of Gesù, the Permanent Market Exhibition of Typical Salento Handicrafts. Again, Salento is the land of fantastic artisanal weavings, such as those by the Giaquinto family, in Otranto, near the castle, and in Santa Maria di Leuca, where this family has passed down for three generations the ancient weaving technique with wooden “shuttle” looms, using top-quality yarns such as linen, silk, wool, hemp, and mercerized cotton. The result is tablecloths, sheets, very refined towels, embellished with hand-knotted fringes and crochet borders.
