Baskets, hampers and is fassonis from the swamp plants

Rush, wickers, dwarf palms, asphodel, raffia, grain straw. It cannot be said that in Sardinia run short the raw materials that made of the interweaving a real art, mostly reserved to the skillful hands of women. Many swampy plants are suitable for this kind of working: the techniques and the ornaments differ according to the geographic areas. The region of Sinis is very rich of lagoons, therefore the raw materials are of optimal quality.

Cabras is the most important town of Sinis peninsula, and it has kept alive the ancient tradition of the swampy plants working, for the creation of baskets and hampers of several sizes, with or without cover. These containers were employed in order to conserve or to transport food (bread, cakes, fruit) and objects (like for example balls of wool, needles, pins, thread, etc). Also the flour-sifters were realized with the use of this material.

A more specific production regards the baskets for fish and crustaceans, realized in the areas rich in lagoons, like Cabras. And even more specialist is the production of the “fassonis”, the typical boats constructed with the interlace of swamp rushes (“feu” or “tifa”), employed by the fishermen of Cabras (and by those of Santa Giusta, in Arborea): they are particularly fit to sail in low waters rich in aquatic plants. Similar boats are represented in many findings of the Ancient Egypt and of the Mesopotamia.