PINE CONE

The sicilian ceramic pine cone is one of the best know and wanted objects by tourists in handcraft
workshop in Sicily.
In the past the pine cone was a symbol of immortality and eternity, considering that it is a fruit that comes
from an evergreen tree.
In Sicily the ceramic pine cone is one of the most sought after and at the same time symbolic handcraft
item of the island that brings a message of prosperity and luck with it.
The sicilian pine cone is closely linked to the theme of prosperity and fertility, probably because of its seeds
or its ovoid shape.
It is known, in fact, that in ancient times young couples decorated the bedrooms adding pine cones as a
sign of good luck, so that they could have a large family.
In addition, the pine cone also symbolizes the spirit of survival and resistance, thanks to its resin and the
hardness of the tree wood, which is the reason in ancient times the sicilian ceramic pine cones were given
and placed on the front door of each house as a wish for luck for those who lived there.
Today the Sicilian ceramic pine cone is particularly present in homes thanks to a renewed interest in the art
of ceramics, and we place these pine cones inside the houses, on the terraces, on the balconies and in the
gates.
Starting from the lathe, the ceramist forges the base cap and the support foot which will be joined
following a first drying. Then, with great skill and meticulousness, the craftsman models the bracts of the
pine cone one by one, using only the fingers of his hands. There is no more harmonious and fascinating
final result, enhanced following by enamel firing with classic colors such as white, ivory, copper green, but
also red, turquoise and cobalt blue glazes.