In this paper I intend to outline some of the characteristics of Calabrian sericulture in the first half of 19th century. In particular, I will try to show that, in this period, sericulture was still an important sector of Calabrian economy in spite of its decline from the last decennia of 16th century. Nevertheless some changes had happened. Manufacturing towns, which had been important in the Modern Age, such as Catanzaro, in 19th century had lost their importance, while other towns, like Reggio, were beginning to have a new role in Southern silk market. These changes were the result of new technologies which, already well known in Europe and in Northern Italy, were spreading slowly in Calabria, thanks to enlightened men, who worked in this region, and to the silk market, more and more open to innovations. In the first half of 19th century, these new technologies were revolutionizing Calabrian silk spinning, inducing lots of silk spinners to leave old ways of manufacturing. Calabria was freeing itself from its atavistic technological delay. Nevertheless these changes risked to damage important manufactures of the capital which used Calabrian silk spinned by traditional systems. However innovations in silk spinning were not spreading in every place in Calabria in the same way. Therefore it seems necessary to distinguish among different areas of the silk Calabria, which satisfied different markets and so were characterized by different technologies. Singling out among these different areas means also understanding their characteristics and the historical reasons of their eventual delay.
In questo saggio, si tenterà di delineare alcune delle caratteristiche della sericoltura calabrese nella prima metà dell'Ottocento. In particolare, si cercherà di mostrare come, nel periodo considerato, la sericoltura fosse ancora un settore portante per l'economia della Calabria, nonostante il ridimensionamento subito a partire dagli ultimi decenni del Cinquecento. Alcuni cambiamenti si erano tuttavia verificati: centri manifatturieri di rilievo in età moderna, come Catanzaro, nel XIX secolo avevano perso importanza, mentre altre località, come Reggio, iniziavano ad assumere un ruolo nuovo nell'ambito del mercato serico meridionale. Cambiamenti, questi, frutto delle nuove tecnologie che, già in auge in Europa e nella stessa Italia Settentrionale, si andavano lentamente diffondendo in terra calabrese, grazie a uomini illuminati, che operavano a livello locale, e all'esistenza di un mercato serico sempre più aperto alle innovazioni. Nel corso della prima metà dell'Ottocento, queste nuove tecnologie stavano rivoluzionando la trattura calabrese, spingendo numerosi filandieri locali ad abbandonare i vecchi metodi di lavorazione. La Calabria si stava affrancando dal suo atavico ritardo tecnologico; tali mutamenti, tuttavia, rischiavano di mettere in crisi settori manifatturieri di rilievo della capitale che utilizzavano seta calabrese tratta con i tradizionali sistemi. Le innovazioni nel settore della trattura, però, non si andavano diffondendo allo stesso modo sull'intero territorio calabrese. All'interno della Calabria della seta, quindi, sembra necessario operare una distinzione per aree geografiche, che rispondevano a differenti mercati e quindi a diverse tecnologie. Individuare tali differenti aree significa anche comprenderne le caratteristiche ed i motivi storici del loro eventuale ritardo.
Trattura e tecnologia in Calabria nella prima metà dell'Ottocento,
Fusco Idamaria
2004
Abstract
In this paper I intend to outline some of the characteristics of Calabrian sericulture in the first half of 19th century. In particular, I will try to show that, in this period, sericulture was still an important sector of Calabrian economy in spite of its decline from the last decennia of 16th century. Nevertheless some changes had happened. Manufacturing towns, which had been important in the Modern Age, such as Catanzaro, in 19th century had lost their importance, while other towns, like Reggio, were beginning to have a new role in Southern silk market. These changes were the result of new technologies which, already well known in Europe and in Northern Italy, were spreading slowly in Calabria, thanks to enlightened men, who worked in this region, and to the silk market, more and more open to innovations. In the first half of 19th century, these new technologies were revolutionizing Calabrian silk spinning, inducing lots of silk spinners to leave old ways of manufacturing. Calabria was freeing itself from its atavistic technological delay. Nevertheless these changes risked to damage important manufactures of the capital which used Calabrian silk spinned by traditional systems. However innovations in silk spinning were not spreading in every place in Calabria in the same way. Therefore it seems necessary to distinguish among different areas of the silk Calabria, which satisfied different markets and so were characterized by different technologies. Singling out among these different areas means also understanding their characteristics and the historical reasons of their eventual delay.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.