Pietragalla: rural heritage between architecture and archaeology
[English version (a kind of… sorry) of this article]
Among photos, thoughts and stories of genius, a virtual trip to discover the beauty of this village in the heart of Lucania.
A flow of information that I collected while walking, listening and talking to the elderly and reading from those who, before me, told something about Pietragalla.
It is not the classic description from an institutional or tourist site but a sort of story. More than in a journalistic way, this article is written as storytelling. A story in which different things are intertwined, some connected, others a little less so with the aim of encouraging readers to take a look at it.
After a short introduction, I’m going to describe the most important sites of interest in Pietragalla, that is the Palmenti and the Cantine… and also something else…
Let’s start with the title. Why “rural”?
Rural is a not-so-loved word. It gives too much the idea of country, of something “raw” and simple. Not culturally relevant. Of course, rural architecture cannot be compared to that of the Renaissance. It cannot be compared in terms of beauty because they are two different things, born for different purposes. Everything that concerns “rural” works was born exclusively for specific reasons, for work and trying to exploit the land in the best possible way. Only recently has the value of “rural” been recognized because the canons of beauty have changed. However, sometimes objectively beautiful things have been realized (such as the Palmenti) and sometimes only functional things (such as some caves for the housing of animals).
But it is unquestionable that behind the rural heritage there is an enormous knowledge regarding land, environment and work…and so we can still talk about culture. The etymology of word Rural is very old and derives from “worked field”, that element that allowed man to pass from nomadic life to community life. So when we hear about something “rural” we don’t think it’s just something country (even if society has made us believe it) otherwise it means that emeralds are just stones…
Telling a territory
When you want to tell a story about a territory and/or especially a particular landscape, it is essential to consider the different elements that characterize it. It is important to study the naturalistic, geological, archaeological, historical, socio-economic aspects not as a separate entity but as a unicum; it is necessary to tell a territory through the existing connections between these aspects. In fact, by definition the landscape “…designates a certain part of the territory, as it is perceived by people, whose character derives from the action of natural and/or human factors and their interrelationships”.
And when we admire the different landscapes of Basilicata (but it is good to say of almost all of Italy) we cannot but talk about the life of the people who have lived there and who have “shaped” them.
To tell the story of 90% of the Basilicata region villages you have to tell the story of deeds of its peasants, who tried to take advantage of harsh land where they happened to be. The most important example is Matera (UNESCO site). Matera is a peasant beauty, it is a rural beauty. The caves, the frescoes, the houses and everything else “exude” a simplicity… difficult and hard of course… but fascinating.
Pietragalla is no exception.
South Italia → Basilicata region → Potenza province → Pietragalla
Pietragalla, is a small hilly village (the highest point is 839 meters above sea level) in Southern Italy. It is located in internal area of Basilicata region on part that slopes down to east of the Lucanian Apennines. In fact, if to the west the view is almost totally occluded by the Apennine reliefs that gradually become higher, to the east it is possible to go towards the hills of Fossa Bradanica up to the Apulian Murge. This has also led to a difference in land use (agriculture) due to different climatic and geological characteristics on both sides of village.
[Here Pietragalla on Google Maps https://goo.gl/maps/6d6TpwGX39TBgvvi8]
There are several theories about the name. Perhaps too many … none with a certain source and that in some cases refer to intuitions or convictions of various authors.To tell the story of Pietragalla I will use two different theories that apparently are least well-founded … less well-founded from a historical/etimological point of view but that help a lot to tell the most beautiful aspects of the Pietragalla.
Aware of what has been written, we start from the most common one and that they also taught us in primary schools: Pietra_Galla → Pietra_Gialla → Yellow Stone in english. Well, if you go around historical centre, touching older and less noble houses, if you visit the most characteristic areas of the village (Palmenti and Cantine) and you go for a walk along the paths that cross some parts of the territory, you can appreciate this “Yellow Stone” a little bit everywhere. Commonly (but not correct from a geological point of view) it is called tuff but it is a mix of sandstone & company (I hope not to attract the wrath of geologists).
[The tuff is a rock of volcanic origin, the sandstone instead is not; but it is common in southern Italy to call with the name “tuff” all the rocks not very hard and with an easy workability. Aware of this difference, you can call them whatever you like].
This rock is very important because its presence has determined and influenced the action and behaviour of Pietragalla population in the past [this concept could be transferred to many towns and cities of rural Italy]. In fact, some characteristics and typical elements of the rural landscape are linked to this rock. And it is very important, in my opinion, to highlight this issue. Exaggerating and simplifying, if Pietragalla was full of marble, we would have had more but our ancestors would hardly have made the Palmenti!
Here is Pietragalla’s main attraction: Palmenti
Palmenti are certainly the most important and famous scenic element of Pietragalla. I would also add that it is unique in the Lucanian panorama and perhaps in Italy (at least in this form).
Classic examples of rural archaeology now in disuse.
These small buildings, which at first look may seem like small houses/caves (in fact it really looks like a small village), actually represented the core of the working and social life of Pietragalla people up to 50/60 years ago. Their purpose was linked to the production of wine; in fact here the first processing and fermentation of grapes coming from the vineyards scattered throughout the territory took place. Now there are just over 60 left and almost all of them are located in the Parco Urbano dei Palmenti at the eastern entrance of the town, but it is possible to find some scattered here and in the surrounding countryside. In the past there were certainly more of them, demonstrating a flourishing wine-growing activity that has now been lost along with most of the vineyards [but this is another very articulated story that I will tell you in another article as scientific work is in progress].During the period of the harvest, a crowds of people, donkeys and mares climbed the alleys of this mini-country, chatting, talking and singing. But mostly working.
Here are some pictures.
But how did these Palmenti work? First of all they are not placed at random but there are two reasons why they are right there. It must always be remembered that the Palmenti were used to ferment grapes and this process is nothing more than a chemical reaction carried out by living beings (yeasts) that work well especially at specific temperatures. Temperatures certainly higher than the average of the harvest period. To reach them (>20°C), since there was no heating, the only way was to invent something. So, since they had certainly already experimented with the isolating properties of the rock, one idea could have been to use the emerging rocks, which was not lacking in Pietragalla. The second question was to “increase” the temperature inside… how to do it? Well simple, exploit the biggest and cheapest heat source there is, the Sun! Yes, but how?By choosing a rock mass where to make the Palmenti in such a way as to take advantage of the South / South-East orientation (which guarantees the maximum inflow of solar energy during the day). In addition, the entrances are all facing the same orientation.
Energetic sustainability.
And that’s why at the east entrance of Pietragalla we can admire these eno-constructions.
Their history and evolution is interesting and full of contamination but to avoid taking too long I will go directly to illustrate their structure and other general aspects [for more historical and other aspects, I recommend the book by Vincenzo D’Angelo — Pietragalla e i PalmentiPatrimonio di archeologia rurale — Edizioni Paideia Firenze and the site http://lnx.altobradano.it/palmenti-di-pietragalla/].
What do they look like internally? Is there a reason for the arrangement of these tanks? Is there a constructive unicum?
A series of communicating tanks entirely dug by hand in this sandstone (quartzarenite, therefore very hard) and which vary in shape and size according to the needs of the owners or in relation to the original morphology of the chosen rock. The first tank had the purpose of harvesting the grapes for crushing them. It is generally placed close to the entrance and in a comfortable position to carry out this type of action. This is connected to one or more tanks placed “at the bottom” of the Palmenti and generally lowered with respect to the floor (therefore almost underground) in order to create an environment as isolated as possible and with constant conditions, a fundamental factor for the production of good wine. Obviously there was the possibility to close and seal the tanks to avoid contamination. This is the basic structure and that I have simplified because each Palmento really has its own characteristics, given also by the ability of the different craftsmen or by the tricks put in place by the owners to improve certain aspects based on the experience gained.
Finally there is the external architecture. Very simple and made with material from the excavation of Palmenti or using other types of stone (generally even harder) and a very light mortar. There are some degree thesis on this subject and surely in the future there will be a way to deepen them.
But in addition to their magnificent efficiency and inventiveness, they were also a great driver of social interactions as, in a few days, they managed to make people meet, talk, hug, laugh and sing, many people who rarely met during the year as the majority of the Pietragalla population lived in the countryside. A great aggregator second only to the feast of the patron saint (St. Teodosio).
To attract the wrath of the traditionalists, here’s one last thing. For fans of fantasy and cinema, if you look at the Palmenti from afar, it feels like being in Hobbiville of the Lord of the Rings in a more rustic version. It’s clear, it’s not an exact historical definition, but to tell and stimulate people’s imagination, these metaphors must be well accepted; also because there’s no danger of it turning into a tourist attraction for cinephiles.
Surely some important details have missed me, but it’s not a problem, you have one more excuse to come and visit them… !
And after the fermentation? Where was the wine transported for the final phases of vinification?
From must to wine
And here comes our magical Yellow Stone. But this time the “stone” used is the one that emerged or on which the houses of the old town were built. In fact, after fermentation, the wine was transported to the upper part of the village where the cellars were (and are) present, in Piaetragalla dialect called “Rutte”.
Why build these cellars so far from the Palmenti? Wasn’t it more convenient to build them closer considering that the stone was not missing? Well the reason was there and it was of a technical nature.
Let’s start with the purpose of the Cellar, that is to preserve and mature the wine. Now in order to preserve any product, in general, we are looking for places where certain conditions can be realized and that can be kept more or less constant in time. Therefore, the farmers needed to find this place to store the wine. Could they use part of the Palmenti? Mmm they were not adequate. They were thermally isolated but we remember that they were exposed to the South-East and since the wine has to be stored also in summer…well they were not in the best place for this phase. So what’s the reason? The secret is kept (also) in the name of this part of the village, that is Mancosa (now Via Mancosa). I have reasoned a lot (but surely there will be someone who has done it before me) and here is the result:
Mancosa comes from an old Italian experiment “right and left”.
Destra is “right”
Manca is “left”
…and you know what’s on the left side of any map?
There’s the west, where the sun goes down.
And do you know which is the exposure (those who have a house should know) where the less sun arrives during the day and that therefore guarantees cooler especially during the summer?
Northwest exposure…..
That’s why the cellars are located on the North-West exposed side of the old town!
Once again the peasants of the past have shown that they have an inventiveness, an enviable spirit of observation and adaptation considering the social context in which they lived.
From the countryside and from the internal and marginal areas of Italy they will not have come out of the Leonardo Da Vinci, but they were certainly no less ingenious!
I think this is great. The two stages of winemaking that took place through the “control” of two natural elements: the bare rock and the sun… almost a pagan ritual. Wonderful!
But there’s more. These cellars are really (artificial) caves that seem to take us to the center of the earth because, in some cases, it is not possible to see the end. I do not have the presumption to explain the statics and engineering behind the construction (also because there are few sources) but I assure you that in the future I will dedicate an article only to these fantastic constructions asking who knows more than me.
You have to imagine the upper part of the old village as a small hillside bordered by a road that surrounds it completely and that in the North-East part has been “ drilled” (especially on one side) by man to create these buildings that continue underground and towards the center of this elevated area [perhaps there will be a better metaphor to explain it but at the moment it is the only one that comes to mind].
There are so many, you never stop counting them. One after the other they fill Via Mancosa and its alleys with their immense rotting wooden doors. An underground maze of tunnels that many times tickled the imagination of many. In fact there are many stories and legends that the elders tell.
To simplify (just for brevity), these cellars are, in fact, long underground tunnels. Most of them have steps (with a lift and tread that are out of the current norm) and allow you to go down even 3/4 meters. Once you get to the bottom, one thing you will notice immediately, which is the drastic change in temperature. Hot in winter, cold in summer. Also a bit of excessive humidity due to the fact that most of them are now in disuse. You can also admire the wonderful architecture and “geology” and you will wonder: how did they do it? I also wonder because it really is an incredible thing and unfortunately there are few sources about the time and the techniques of realization.[This technical video can be interesting for some professionals]
As in all cellars, of course there are barrels. Barrels that were made directly inside for logistical reasons and with local wood (mostly a kind of oak). Except for the rich families who often bought them from northern Italy. Lots of barrels on the right and left and often you can’t even count them all. To do this in some cases you have to go through the whole cellar because they are so long that they also have curves. Maybe the photos make more than words.
Not to mention the stories, tales and legends that any family can tell…
Another shade of Pietragalla’s “Yellow Stone”
Now, let’s continue this tour to the discovery of the Yellow Stone, let’s leave the old town for a moment and take a walk in the area of the Red Stream.
Going down towards Località Abate [https://goo.gl/maps/m3TMdyXAk7nmAd3s8], before the last few turns, we’ll notice on the slope in front of us, a black hole, a cave that looks huge. When I was little and went to my grandfather’s countryside, every time I went through it, I imagined something. I thought it was the lair of an animal, then Batman’s cave and then the passage to another dimension. But when I got older (anagraphically speaking), I asked my grandfather what that black hole was… and he answered me with an answer: <<Come on, I’ll take you to see it!>>.
What is this cave? Nothing mysterious, but a symbolic place of an archaic past, a past unimaginable now. It is a huge hole dug in a very crumbly sandstone bank (not the same as the Palmenti and cellars); about 15 metres long and 5/6 metres high (even if now the roof has partially collapsed), which was used by shepherds for the seasonal and/or temporary housing of animals (and also as a shelter for people in case of bad weather). Another fantastic example of rural architecture and archaeology that can be found almost everywhere in Basilicata region with very different shapes and sizes.
So no Batman, but I assure you the bats were there [as you’ll notice in a photo]!!!!!!
This one, like others around in the Pietragalla countryside, are very simple but really impressive. Some collapsed, some untraceable due to the vegetation, some difficult to access because they are not safe. But I found three more, always along the Torrente Rosso (Red River) going towards the Acerenza Dam (in the locality “Disc la Rutt” in Pietragalal dialect). Smaller but nicer because they look like real houses… or better, they look like real houses because they really were, in fact someone really lived in these caves. And in fact you can also see the signs of a typical furniture as well as the name of the owner on the entrance.
In one of these, erosion has made the walls so smooth and wavy that it feels like an ice cave like the ones you see on National Geographic. Sure, a yellowish ice, though!
For the exploration, I suggest to avoid the summer because between vegetation, thorns, temperatures and absence of air circulation, the walk is not pleasant and easy.
Name omen part two
Now, to move on to the second meaning of the name Pietragalla, I use what is reported in an old guide of the Touring Club: Petreguallo from the medieval gualdus = forest … so Pietra & Foresta[Stone and Forest]. I don’t know how much can be true but it’s not very important [unfortunately when there are no certain sources, many things are hypothetical]. Because going around the forests, you can only admire, here and there, these immense “stones” that sprout from the forests of Pietragalla and that have often been used for different purposes. Geologically they are similar to those of the Palmenti and Cantine [I hope geologists don’t curse me!!]. Some of these are famous and have been given a name such as “la Murgia d’ lu paret” and “la Murgia della Madonna” (even if it is in the municipality of Cancellara for a few tens of meters). But there are also others. As for example the Murgia di Lanzi, little extended in height but very much on the surface. Some of these very hard rocky banks have been “ dismembered” in order to build the rural houses and often also the houses in the village.
Since I’m not very good at geology, I’ll let the images speak for themselves. I assure you that some of them are really huge. The most suggestive one (the Murgia della Madonna), is so called because in profile it really looks like a Madonna.
All these “sites” could (and should since, if I remember correctly, there are already some studies in progress) very well be included in the list of “geo-sites”, i.e. “…location area or territory where it is possible to identify a geological or geomorphological interest for conservation”. A further recognition that, however, must be exploited for tourism purposes.
IFinally, the ancient history of Pietragalla is also founded on this rock. In fact, the walls of Monte Torretta [a study that sees the participation of several European universities Pietragalla Project] and Casalaspro [with very few historical references and without any detailed study if not bibliographic] have been obtained going to realize these big blocks of very hard sandstone that has been recovered here and there from these “stones in the forests” present on the territory … but this is another story.
Therefore, the history and traditions of Pietragalla (and therefore of its cultural heritage) are based on two fundamental and strongly interconnected elements, namely “stone” and rurality. These sites of cultural interest are the result of the shaping of a natural element that has been used to live and to make the most of the fruits of the hard work of the countryside.
But Pietragalla also has a very particular historical centre, a magnificent frescoed Palazzo Ducale, suggestive forest landscapes, an archaeological site to be discovered and a very intense and peculiar history of Brigandage… but I won’t bore you anymore… so you will have a good excuse to visit this small town in Basilicata and discover everything else in person!
In the meantime, if I haven’t managed to convince you yet, here are the “10 things to do in Pietragalla” recommended by Alessia and Gabriele https://www.overthemoon.it/2016/06/dieci-cose-da-fare-e-vedere-pietragalla.html
This is my story. We are waiting for you so that you can listen, see, smell, touch and experience this small town in Basilicata.
Giuseppe Cillis
FINAL ASPECTS
This article is not a scientific or historical publication so I tried to simplify many aspects without going into too much detail otherwise it would have been extremely heavy and unsuitable for a usage like the one on the web. There are many historiographical aspects that I have deliberately left out but if you want you can deepen from the texts below.
Palmenti and other features of Pietragalla’s history:
- Vincenzo D’Angelo — Pietragalla e i palmenti Patrimonio di archeologia rurale — Edizioni Paideia Firenze
For further information:
- Teo da Pietragalla, Pietragalla, Alfagrafica Volonnino, Lavello, 1991
- Padre Antonio Grillo, Terrae Pietragallae, Il Borghetto, Rionero in Vulture, 1998, p.10.
There are not many sources or specific studies, if not a few books (the one mentioned above is an excellent historiographical treatise on Pietragalla with many references and photos) and thesis. If someone has new studies to report is welcome (especially geological ones).
Often there is confusion (and we do) or there are too many things in contradiction [especially if you read from the official tourist sites of the Basilicata Region]. The only thing that every Pietragalla’s people could do, until there are specific ad hoc studies on the different aspects (as is being done for Monte Torretta) and a final reorganization of all the material in the different books, is to collect the stories of the elderly, which before it is too late, should be recovered entirely and before the structures themselves.
