Secrets of the Sea

Chiara Vigo is an elder in the south of Italy who is thought to be the only woman alive with the knowledge of skill to make sea silk shine like gold. The ancient knowledge of weaving the precious material was passed down to Chiara by her grandmother who had learned it from her mother. A matriarchal skill that was passed from one generation to another.

"Weaving the sea silk is what my family has been doing for centuries," Vigo says. "The most important thread, for my family, was the thread of their history, their tradition."1

Read the complete story with photos by following this link to the BBC Magazine article. Scent for today: GreenWitch.

1. BBC story by Max Paradiso

Image: Noble pen shell with byssus, harvesting fork. De Réaumur 1717 on parchment.