Japanese Sword Mountings

Umbria pottery & traditions: the Brocche dei Ceri and the Good Luck Shards from Gubbio   by Tiziana Manzetti

Umbria is one of Italy’s smallest regions, whose secretive beauty is
made of rolling hills dotted with castles and monasteries and
whose charming hill town, like Deruta, Gubbio, Gualdo Tadino, have
been producing world renowned handmade ceramics since the
Renaissance.

Born as merely functional to human life, Umbrian ceramics have
evolved into a form of Art, without ever ceasing to be part of
people’s life.

A symbol of the strong tie between Umbria pottery and the lively
regional traditions are the Brocche dei Ceri, large ceramic pitchers
which play a relevant role in the most famous “Corsa dei Ceri” or
Race of the Saints.

This spectacular event is held in Gubbio each May 15th to honor St
Ubaldo, the Patron Saint of the town.

Three teams (the Ceraioli) devoted to St Ubaldo, St. Giorgio and St
Antonio and clad respectively in yellow, blue and black shirts, run
along the streets of Gubbio and up much of the mountain to the
Church of St Ubaldo.

Each team carries a statue of their saint mounted on a wooden
octagonal prism 7 meters tall and weighing about 280 kilograms,
the so called Ceri (candles). Throngs of cheering supporters follow
the runners. Altogether an unforgettable event!

Just imagineâ

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