Les porteurs de samau

sketchfab

Human: 1984 - A wooden relief, 49 cm high, depicting bearers of "samau" (a term used in Occitan and specifically in the Salésian Béarnais dialect, masculine). The sculpture is the work of Ismaël Carcédo (born in Madrid on August 04, 1938 - died in Orthez on November 05, 2020). The "samau" is a container made from tonnellerie intended to be carried. It is one of the emblems of the city of Salies de Béarn (Pyrénées Atlantiques-France). A samau has a capacity of 92 litres and its total weight exceeds 100 kg. Three samaus are worth a barrique. In the Middle Ages, they transported saltwater from Salies de Béarn to use it as is or evaporate it to collect the salt. The samaus have handles that allow bearers to pass a "bar" serving as a "paddle". Today, samau transports are still celebrated during the "samau races" in Salies de Béarn.