Souvenirs from Matera are more than just a small, inexpensive memento of a trip to a fairytale-like village. The craftsmanship behind the souvenirs are the last remaining fragments of Matera’s UNESCO recognized contadino traditions and artisanal knowledge.
If you walk around Matera and see vendors selling small Matera shaped souvenirs, stone carved wall decor, candle holders, whistles in the shapes of roosters, and more…don’t rule them out as corny souvenirs from Matera. These souvenirs are the last remaining evidence of Matera’s UNESCO recognized contadino traditions and artisanal knowledge. An artform that used to proliferate in Matera. The contadini were the foundation of this city, until the modern age took over. Now a days, only a few locals still practice this contadino artisanal craftsmanship and sell their handiwork in tight alleyways and hidden tucked away stores throughout Matera. These small, simple looking souvenirs are actually a rare artform that is trying to hold onto a historic tradition and way of life. Here are 5 souvenirs from Matera you can’t leave without:
1. Cucù
As you walk through Vico Solitario in the Sassi Caveoso area of Matera, you will come across tables filled with small artisanal handcrafted objects. If you look closely, one of the most common and typical Matera artisan crafts is that of the cucù. It’s a small whistle carved in the shape of a rooster that when blown makes a rooster noise–cuckoo! They were a typical children’s past time and a gift for those about to get married. Roosters are a symbol of fertility, abundance, and protection. Back in the day, they used to be placed on kids cradles to protect them from bad spirits. Most kids would receive it as a gift during Easter and head to the Sasso Caveoso area to purchase them at the various markets and cave stores.
2. Tufo
Tuff stone, or tufo, made from actual rock that the majority of Matera is founded on, is used to create many different types of souvenirs. Tufo is usually carved into small stone structures in the shape of Matera. Now a days, lamps, candle holders, jewelry, and even wall décor have been made using this stone. A more recent addition that was made to cover any vents in the rocks at hotels and restaurants is wall décor.
3. Cartapesta
The oldest artisan craft has to be that of cartapesta, or paper mâché. As is tradition, every July 2nd, students and the community of Matera decorate an enormous cart in paper mâché. It is then paraded around town for the Festival of Madonna della Bruna–Matera’s annual village festival. The piece of art is ephemeral. Leading up to the Festival, it’s worked on for months. The day of the festival, the cart is paraded around town and then left in the piazza, where hundreds of locals destroy it and tear it to pieces. This act is not aggressive, but rather symbolizes the locals of Matera taking back their identity. Each has the opportunity to bring back a piece to their home.
4. Matera Bread Stamp
Biting into the pane di Matera is partaking and living through history. The technique used has been the same for many centuries and has now become a preserved tradition. Pane di Matera is protected by the European Union Denomination of Protected Origin (DOP). What does that mean you may ask? It means the real pane di Matera can only be made in Matera–just like sparkling wine can’t be called Champagne, unless it is produced in the Champagne region of France.
The bread was once made in the sassi, or these cave dwellings, that still exist today in Matera–like the one I stayed in at the cave hotel Sextianto Le Grotte della Civita. The caves provided a consistent temperature that allowed the grain and dough to ferment at the perfect pace. The final product is an enormous bread with a hard, dark crust and soft yellow inside. The shape resembles the nearby mountains of Murgia (pictured above).
Up until the 1950s, local families would take their dough to the town’s communal ovens to be baked. Locals would book a time in the morning to have their bread baked. An oven assistant would walk through the streets of Matera, announcing the start of each time slot with a shrill blast of their whistle. To make sure families could tell their loaf of bread apart from others, they would mark their bread with a family stamp or seal. The seal was custom-made. It would have an icon, such as a rooster, in the center, and on the bottom include the head of the households initials. Today you can get your own, very custom-made wooden bread stamp or seal with your own family initials. It’s the quintessential souvenir from Matera.
5. Meteoron Candles
When enjoying dinner at a local cave restaurant named La Lopa, I noticed a candle made in the shape of Matera on the table. The owner of La Lopa restaurant, Antonella, makes these candles called Meteoron, which translates to star-studded sky. Place a candle in the center of this wax-shaped Matera, and watch as the doors and windows of the caves light up like a nativity scene. If you fall for them as hard as I did, just ask and you can buy one to take home with you as a souvenir from Matera!
>> Next: How To Experience the True Magic of Matera, Italy
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