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DRY STONE WALLS: AGE-OLD CULTURE

The status symbol of the Cinque Terre told by traditions

“È la Liguria terra leggiadra.
Il sasso ardente, l'argilla pulita,
s'avvivano di pampini al sole.
È gigante l'ulivo. A primavera
appar dovunque la mimosa effimera.
Ombra e sole s'alternano
per quelle fondi valli
che si celano al mare,
per le vie lastricate
che vanno in su, fra campi di rose,
pozzi e terre spaccate,
costeggiando poderi e vigne chiuse.
In quell'arida terra il sole striscia
sulle pietre come un serpe[...]”

La Liguria , Vincenzo Cardarelli.

In this poem Vincenzo Cardarelli writes that the sun of Liguria in merciless , but it is the main element for the various colours of the Cinque Terre.
One of the reason of the dry stone wall wear is , in addition to the sun , are the weathering.
Most of crops are in front of the sea because the steep coasts didn't allow the farmers to grow easily , so they choose to arrange terracing. Each terracing is supported by drystone walls : a stone wall made through the joint of sand stone .

Once we have this base ,it could be created the stretch of level (for our oldest , in dialect , "cìan") , transferring a little section of the dirt on the top , to cover a layer of vegetation , to enrich the soil.

This sail's alteration has allowed to ratchet the flows of water and during centuries this area has spread a lot around 2000 hectares.

In or territory there are some vineyards , olive and citrus groves.

In other hand , rain and wind with a generalized abandon of the ground , could destroy the structures that should be constant maintained and tended.

The keeping shouldn't be only technical ( however very difficult , because the Farmer's knowledge hasn't been handed any more from father to son.

We should watch dry walls and paths of our coasts with different view...

I hear my father's voice , that says : “Children , could you imagine how long would it take to Farmers to assemble the the stones in this way? And imagine how difficult was to take them here...” ;
As I was a child I used to see their curve figures , their rough hands , that were moulding , recreating and improving the nature , already beautiful and fertile , which was surrounding them , and made it beautiful for who was going to cultivated , lived and loved it .

Gemma Giangaré , La Spezia

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DRY STONE WALLS: AGE-OLD CULTURE

The status symbol of the Cinque Terre told by traditions

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