{"id":9573,"date":"2021-03-26T14:27:38","date_gmt":"2021-03-26T13:27:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oliocentrica.it\/the-art-of-the-dry-stone-wall\/"},"modified":"2022-02-17T18:06:27","modified_gmt":"2022-02-17T17:06:27","slug":"the-art-of-the-dry-stone-wall","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.oliocentrica.it\/en\/the-art-of-the-dry-stone-wall\/","title":{"rendered":"The art of the dry stone wall"},"content":{"rendered":"

The art of the dry stone wall<\/h1><\/div>
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Dry stone walls
\nwhere the weeds cling to.
\nTerraces of Liguria
\noverlooking the sea.
\nLands cultivated with bare hands.
\nSweat of man
\nbowed over the clods.
\nRows of black grapes
\nthey are reflected in the sun
\nlike rosaries still to be shelled.
\nThe reflection of the sea intoxicates the olive trees,
\nleaves of eternal love shine.
\nMerciful flowers
\nthey are born in the evening
\nand at dawn they die.
\nWalls painted in nature
\nwhere the grass borders
\nand the violets do not wait for spring<\/p>\n

(Poem by Maria Rosa Oneto)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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The art of the dry stone wall: Unesco intangible cultural heritage<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>

The Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, in 2018 registered “the art of dry stone walls” in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.<\/p>\n

Membership is common to eight European countries – Cyprus, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland.<\/p>\n

UNESCO highlights that “the art of dry stone walls” consists in building by arranging the stones one on top of the other, without using other materials other than, in some cases, dry earth. This practical knowledge is preserved and passed down in rural communities, where they have deep roots, and among professionals in the construction sector. The dry stone wall structures are used as shelters, for agriculture or livestock breeding, and testify to the methods used, from prehistoric times to the present day, to organize life and work spaces by optimizing local human and natural resources. These buildings demonstrate the harmonious relationship between humans and nature and at the same time play a vital role in preventing landslides, floods and avalanches, but also in combating soil erosion and desertification.<\/p>\n

In our country these walls have become characteristic symbols of certain areas, from Salento to Liguria, passing through Lazio, they are an example of a heroic agriculture of primitive architecture that fits well with the natural landscape.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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The difficulties for olive growing<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>

A critical element for olive growing in terraced areas (in addition to the little chance of mechanization, low production and objective difficulties in reaching the plots) is the human factor.<\/p>\n

The workforce is almost non-existent, the average age is high because young people tend to move away from these environments that they find unproductive, poor entrepreneurial preparation leads to a distance from markets and the abandonment of land.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Italy on the front line<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>

There are many initiatives aimed at mapping, protecting, reconstructing and enhancing the terraces.<\/p>\n