The Art of Collecting Seaweed

For centuries, the gathering of seaweed was an important activity along the coasts and islands of western Brittany. The back-breaking work involved in harvesting, drying and burning the seaweed changed little between the ends of the 17^th and 20^th centuries. Sometimes, whole families laboured together, for others it was a means of supplementing the meagre household income and an activity pursued by the women and children of the community while the menfolk were at sea.

Traditionally, seaweed was harvested on a fairly modest scale as a foodstuff for both human and animal consumption as well being utilised as a fertiliser and even as a source of domestic fuel. However, the 17^th century saw the emergence of more intense harvesting thanks to the demands of the emerging glass-making and soap-making industries. Both of whom required ready access to good quality sodium carbonate or soda; a product…