Traditional Sicilian Baskets

These traditional Sicilian baskets handmade from river reeds are used for countless purposes. This particular size with the handle may often be seen tied to a rope, being lowered from balconies throughout Sicily. Called “un panaru” in Sicilian, they are used to carry everything from fruits such as lemons, grapes, and olives to foodstuffs like…

Snippets that Reveal Treasures

This is a snippet of a larger painting that hangs in the chambers of Palermo’s Palazzo dei Normanni, the house of the Sicilian Parliament. I love it for two reasons: it shows pre-twentieth century traditional dress of the women working in the field and one of them is holding a traditional Sicilian, woven basket.

The craft of basket weaving has been practiced in Sicily for centuries. The warm climate of the island is ideal for the dwarf fan palm tree that bears leaves exploited for making many styles and sizes of baskets. #experiencesicily #sicily #sicilia #sizilien #siciliabedda #italy #italia #italien #sicilytourism #sicily_tourism #sicilytravel #sicily_travel #ig_sicily #siciliaph #siciliafoto #fotosicilia #igerssicilia…

Carob trees, or carrubo in Italian, grow throughout coastal areas of Sicily. Its dried pods, shown here in a traditional basket, are mildly sweet and are used as a substitute for chocolate. #sicily #sicily_travel #sicilia #sicily_tourism #italy #ig_sicily #italia #siciliaph #carob #carrubo #carruba #basket #cestina