Grazalema blanket facts for kids
The Grazalema blanket (called manta de Grazalema in Spanish) is a special kind of thick, striped cloth. It's usually brown and beige. This type of cloth was very popular from the 1600s to the 1800s. It gets its name from the town of Grazalema in Spain, where it was first made. Grazalema was a very important place for making wool products. The wool came from sheep in the local area. Grazalema is also one of the rainiest places in Spain, and this clean water was perfect for washing the wool, which helped make the blankets extra good.
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History of Grazalema Blankets
Many years ago, famous Spanish writers mentioned Grazalema blankets. For example, Vicente Blasco Ibáñez wrote about these blankets and capes. Another writer, Julio Romero de Torres, shared an interesting fact. He said that before a fire destroyed the town's old records, there was a special document from King Philip V. This document, called a Royal Decree, gave special rights to people in Grazalema who made textiles and wool products. This shows how important the blanket-making was to the town.
Grazalema Cloth in Wars
Grazalema cloth was even used by soldiers! During the Eighty Years' War, which was a long conflict, about 65,000 soldiers wore coats made from Grazalema cloth. These soldiers were part of a group called the tercio, which was a type of Spanish army unit.
How Blankets Were Made
It is believed that between the towns of Grazalema and Benamahoma, around 9,000 people worked in jobs that helped make the blankets. These jobs included things like dyeing (coloring the wool), spinning (turning wool into thread), and finishing the cloth. Many families had looms (weaving machines) in their homes. Everyone in the family would help weave the cloth. After they finished weaving, they would take their cloth to factories to get it completed.
Grazalema Blankets Today
Today, only one company still makes Grazalema blankets. It's called Artesanía Textil de Grazalema. This company is the oldest artisan textile company in all of Spain! Some of the blankets they make are sent to other countries, like the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Netherlands.
See also
In Spanish: Manta de Grazalema para niños
