L'Italo-Americano

LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 22 L'Italo-Americano B orgo Pace, the hamlet of peace: this is what the n a m e o f t h i s t i n y v i l l a g e o f j u s t a b o v e 5 0 0 m e a n s i f t r a n s l a t e d l i t e r a l l y . A n d p e a c e f u l i t m u s t b e , a s immersed as it is in the green tranquility typical of the low Apennines, in the Marche province of Pesaro-Urbino, but not far from Tuscany. However, Borgo Pace isn't only known for the idyllic images inspired by its name but also for its connection with an ancient craft, almost entirely extinct in the rest of t h e c o u n t r y : " c h a r c o a l making." Generally, when we think of "coal," our thoughts travel to late 19th-early 20th centu- r y b l e a k i m a g e s o f o v e r - worked miners somewhere in the coal regions of Belgium, England, or Pennsylvania. Charcoal, however, is obvi- ously not the same. Charcoal i s n o t e x t r a c t e d , b u t p r o - duced from wood. Indeed, in Italian is also known as car- bone vegetale, to differenti- a t e i t f r o m r e g u l a r carbone, or coal. Charcoal is l a r g e l y m a d e i n d u s t r i a l l y t o d a y , b u t h e r e i n B o r g o Pace, it's a different story: local carbonai, also known as uomini in nero — or men in black: no sign of conspira- cy theories, though! — pro- duce it by hand, using only t h e b e s t , m o s t a r o m a t i c woods. Carbonai are the last representatives of an ancient c r a f t t h a t w a s t y p i c a l o f the Massa Trabaria, the area on the Central Apennines nestled between Tuscany and t h e M a r c h e . O n c e u p o n a time, they were many and their commerce was thriving, but the growth in popularity — and the cheapness — of industrial charcoal reduced so much the need for their product that only a handful of them remains today. The process to make char- c o a l b y h a n d i s l o n g a n d slow, because it follows the r h y t h m s o f n a t u r e a n d a technique developed through centuries of tradition and history: only the best wood, from trees growing on the local mountains, is used for i t , w h i c h g u a r a n t e e s a n odorless product, an impor- tant characteristic because handmade charcoal is used a lot for cooking. Industrial charcoal, on the other hand, can be made of low-grade wood, reason for which it is cheaper but also of lesser quality. The craft of charcoal mak- ing has been passed on from one generation to the other in Borgo Pace and its tech- n i q u e h a s r e m a i n e d unchanged: no modern tech- nology is used during the process, only the carbonai's experience, precious woods, and time. As it has been hap- pening for plenty of tradi- tional crafts, which we poeti- c a l l y c a l l a n t i c h i mestieri here in Italy, a good number of younger people became interested in it and a r e l e a r n i n g f r o m t h e i r fathers and grandfathers. Yet, don't be fooled: charcoal making is still an endan - gered craft to protect. B u t h o w d o c a r b o n a i m a k e c h a r c o a l ? T h e f i r s t step, which takes place in the Fall and Winter, is find- ing and collecting the raw m a t e r i a l , w o o d , u s u a l l y along the slopes of the Alpe della Luna, the mountain of the Moon. By the way, was a poet responsible for the local toponymy because I don't t h i n k I h a v e e v e r c o m e across such beautiful place n a m e s . T h e n , d u r i n g t h e Summer, they create large pyramid-shaped structures with it, with a central pole acting as a chimney of sorts. These structures are known as cotta, they can reach 2 1/2 meters in height (more than 8 feet) and can contain hun- dreds of pounds of wood. E m b e r s a r e t h e n p l a c e d inside the cotta, which is finally covered with soil and hay so that the wood inside is protected and the heat doesn't disperse. Through a process of slow, calibrated combustion, which is fully controlled and regulated by the carbonaio, the wood of the cotta, in about 15 days, becomes precious handmade charcoal. Carbonai need to be care- ful: they have to make sure the embers remain hot but also avoid the wood catching fire. When the process it's over, the charcoal is gath- ered with a rake and collect- ed. This is a high-quality charcoal, characterized by a high heating power, and that — we said — has no odor, which is a great characteris- tic when you use it to cook. If you are interested in the world of charcoal making and its carbonai, you can visit Il Museo del Carbonaio, located inside an ancient tannery no longer in use in Le Conce, near Borgo Pace's historical center. The whole area is quite interesting from a historical point of view. V e r y i m p o r t a n t i s t h e nearby A b b a z i a d i S a n Michele Archangelo, an a b b e y d e d i c a t e d t o S a i n t Michael Archangel in Lameli d i B o r g o P a c e , a n d f i r s t a t t e s t e d i n d o c u m e n t s i n 1218. Placed not far from the Bocca Trabaria, where the Tiber Valley meets that of the river Metauro, and close enough to the Adriatic Sea, the abbey enjoyed pros- perity and independence for centuries thanks to its favor- a b l e l o c a t i o n . W e k n o w , however, that it had been abandoned by 1442. Today, o n l y p a r t o f t h e o r i g i n a l buildings are still standing, including the large Romanic- s t y l e c h u r c h , l i k e l y b u i l t before the year 1000. How- e v e r , e v e n h e r e , t h e o n l y o r i g i n a l p a r t i s i t s a p s e , which shows the traditional R o m a n i c s t y l e o f t h o s e decades. The abbey is home to another interesting muse- um, the Museo dei Colori Naturali, dedicated to the making and use of natural pigments and colors in the arts. Borgo Pace, a place where time stopped LUCA SIGNORINI Charcoal making requires times and care (Photo: Tenedos/Dreamstime)

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