Down the cobbled streets, amongst restaurants and gift-shops, it is very easy to run into artist studios or ateliers where the finest objects are crafted. These are not mere businesses, but art forms that have been passed down from generation to generation and, in some cases, typical examples of local culture and traditions. A notable example is iron and copper working, through which unique objects and beautiful medieval weapons are crafted; woodworking, particularly olive wood – which has been cultivated from time immemorial and thrives in these areas – is used for crafting refined objects and sacred art reproductions. One of the most famous objects of Assisi is the Tau, a pendant in the shape of the 19th letter of the Greek Alphabet originating from the Taw of the of the Semitic abjads. A symbol of ancient Christian tradition very dear to Francis, who used it as a signature on his letters.
If you like textiles, you’ll be glad to know that Assisi is the birthplace of a unique stitching technique, unsurprisingly called Assisi stitch or Franciscan stitch. In the city centre you will find many ateliers where this very distinctive technique, due to its “negative” style decorations, is applied; also upon commission. The shapes, inspired by Gothic and Romanesque architecture and decorations, are stitched tracing the contours. This ancient technique has been employed since the XVI Century by nuns living in the many cloisters across the city. Although, in modern times, this tradition risked to disappear. Luckily, thanks to people like the noblewoman Elisabetta Locatelli Pucci – who in 1903 opened a special stitching workshop that she included in the Cooperative for Italian Female Industries (a prestigious entrepreneurial association of the time) – the practice survived. The Assisi stitch and its ancient tradition were safe. From that day forward, many schools opened and this tradition also became a relevant source of revenue.