Spain · Instrument making; Lutherie; Madrid / Spanish heritage
Guitarrería Castellana de Madrid
The making of classical and flamenco guitars in the Madrid tradition — the lineage descended from Antonio de Torres (Almería; 1817–1892) whose innovations defined the modern classical guitar. The Madrid guitarrero tradition is distinct from the Granada (Alhambra) tradition in its preference for cedar soundboards (over spruce) and its slightly heavier construction for the classical guitar. The soundboard — the thin cedar or spruce top plate — is the defining craft element: it must be the correct thickness to vibrate freely yet structurally sound enough to bear string tension for decades.
Risk level: Vulnerable · Not listed
The steam distillation of lavender essential oil from the lavender fields of Brihuega — the self-styled 'lavender capital of Spain', whose Alcarria plateau produces a lavender (Lavandula latifolia — spike lavender; and Lavandula…
The making of leather harness and equestrian equipment (bridas; cabezadas; cinchas; monturas) in the Madrid tradition — the craft that supplied the Spanish royal cavalry and the bullfighting picador tradition.
The distillation of anise spirit from green anise seeds (Pimpinella anisum) in the town of Chinchón — 45km south of Madrid — whose anise production has been continuous since the 15th century.
The making of baskets and furniture from Galician willow (Salix viminalis — vimbio in Galician) in the tradition centered on O Carballiño and the Ribeiro do Avia valley — the primary Galician wickerwork tradition, distinct from Catalan…
The finishing of Segovia broadcloth — the complete post-weaving treatment sequence (fulling; raising; and shearing) that transformed raw woven wool cloth into the smooth; dense; finished broadcloth (paño) that made Segovia the most…
The construction of the traditional Galician granite bread oven (forno de pan or forno de pedra) — the communal stone oven that was the center of every Galician village life and is the most socially important craft structure in the…
The hand-construction, entirely from materials available on Réunion, of the four core instruments of maloya -- kayamb, roulèr, bobre, and pikèr/sati -- inscribed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009, and directly…
The Miao wooden drum (木鼓 mù gǔ) is a hollowed-log ceremonial drum central to the Miao Drum Festival (苗族鼓藏节 Miáozú Gǔ Cáng Jié) — held once every 13 years and inscribed on China's National ICH List.
The construction of the moutya drum -- a hollowed-out tree-trunk body covered with stretched goat skin -- central to Seychelles's moutya musical and dance tradition, inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural…
The watchcase making (boîtage) tradition of the Jura Arc — the finishing and polishing of the precious metal cases that house Swiss watch movements.
The Mnong and Ede peoples of the Central Highlands maintain a blacksmithing and metalwork tradition that includes the production and repair of ceremonial iron objects, agricultural tools, and the maintenance of bronze ritual objects.
The construction of the ravanne, a goatskin-covered frame drum, and the maravanne, a wood-framed seed-filled shaker built with panels of bound reeds or dried sugarcane flower stems, the two core instruments (alongside a metal triangle)…