Calathus (basket) facts for kids
A calathus (plural: calathi) was a special type of basket used in ancient times. It looked a bit like a top hat and was often used to hold wool or fruit. People in ancient Greece and ancient Rome saw the calathus as a symbol of plenty and good harvests.
These baskets were usually made by weaving together natural materials like reeds or twigs. Women often used them to store bundles of wool for spinning. But calathi had many other uses around the house and on farms, like carrying fruits from the fields.
Calathus Vases
Sometimes, the word "calathus" also describes vases made from clay that were shaped like these baskets. These clay versions are very important to archaeology because they have survived much longer than the original woven baskets.
Calathus vases usually had a narrow bottom and a wide, flaring top. Some of them were decorated to look like woven baskets, either with painted patterns or with cut-out designs. Some had handles, and some did not.
What Was Inside a Calathus?
Calathi were truly multi-purpose baskets! Ancient writings tell us they could hold many different things, depending on what was needed.
Here are some things a calathus might have carried:
- Wool for spinning and weaving
- Food like bread, cheese, milk, fruits, and vegetables
- Small animals
- Flowers
Most calathi were made from willow branches. However, some special ones were made from other materials like clay, metal, glass, or even stone. The ancient Greek poet Homer even wrote about a silver calathus with a golden rim that belonged to Helen, which could even roll on wheels!
Calathus in Art and Symbolism
You can often see calathi shown in ancient Greek vase paintings. In some art from southern Italy, the calathus was used as a symbol of a future engagement or marriage.
In Cyprus, archaeologists found parts of a statue of a woman wearing a crown shaped like a calathus. This statue is believed to be of the goddess Aphrodite. Similar crowned heads have been found across the island. The calathus crown was traditionally seen as a symbol of fertility and was often worn by goddesses or their priestesses.
See also
- In Spanish: Cálato para niños
