Dry stone walls (Muretti a Secco) are one of the most characteristic symbols of Puglia. They represent well the balanced relationship with the environment and the harmonious relationship between man and nature that has always characterized these lands.
These are fences that are lower and less thick than a normal defensive wall, which perform the traditional function of delimiting a portion of agricultural land, although today they increasingly fence farmhouses or private homes, giving them a rustic appearance in line with the surrounding natural landscape.
Originally they were built mainly for another practical reason, which was to find a place for the enormous amount of rock material resulting from the excavation of land, to be used for cultivation.
The Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, meeting from 26 November to 1 December 2018 in Port Louis, Mauritius, inscribed “Dry-stone wall art” on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
For our country this is the ninth recognition, the third transnational (after the Mediterranean Diet and Falconry).
UNESCO highlights that “the art of dry stone walls” consists of building by placing stones on top of each other, without using any other materials than, in some cases, dry earth. This practical knowledge is preserved and passed down in rural communities, where it has deep roots, and among professionals in the construction sector. Dry stone wall structures are used as shelters, for agriculture or livestock breeding, and bear witness to the methods used, from prehistory to the present day, to organize life and work spaces by optimizing local human and natural resources. These constructions 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.
Sagnette Pasta
Olio d'Oliva E.V. 500 cl.
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