Alcara Li Fusi

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[ Art - History - Traditions ]  [ Town Centre - Monument ]

 NEBRODI “CENTRO STORIA PATRIA”

Country Historical Centre

S. Franchina

In the suggestive basement of the Circolo Orice (which is located between Faranda Square and Timpanaro Square), there is the seat of the centre. In the centre “Storia Patria of nebrodi”. You can see the furniture made mainly of the work tools and of the artisan and agropastoral civilization as well as plays written by eminent fello villagers.

The Foundry of the bells 

The manufacturing of the bronze in Tortorici goes back ancient times. It is probably that, with the agriculture, the sheep farming and the processing of the iron, silver and tin, it was one of the most important activities of the inhabitants. This activity was called “Campanaria Art” by the melters. Unfortunately, the information we have about the foundries is doubtful. However we can fix the period in which the first foundries had their origins thanks to the dates on some Sicilian bells (for example: Palermo, Guzza, Naso, and some others as well). The origins of thesego back about in the XIII century. But, the manufacturing of the tin products becomes more intense only in the XV century even if the documentation remains, necessarily incomplete because of the lack or loss of the acts, the pirates’ theftsand the lack of the melters’ subscriptions. However, we can quote some bells from the churches in Tortorici, Mirto, Galati, Palermo (we remember the fixed bell in the beautiful cathedral of which we are very proud). Finally the important big bell in the cathedral in Catania which is not less important.

Among all the foundries existing foundries of the time we can take the Trusso’s brother’s foundry as an example. One of the brothers made the two silvery maces (actually they are made of yellow copper) of the “Senate” of Tortorici. It seems that the Trusso’s activity began about in 1629 and lasted until about 1950, year during which the art of fusion in Tortorici ended. Since 1950 the foundry was restored from time to time until 1956 whcih is the year when the eldest son died very young in an accident. As a consequence of this death their father withdrew into his sufferings and silence and he didn’t hand down to posterity the “secret” of the fusion of the bells, so that it was determined the disappearence of the bells masters. Another fact, which contributed to the complete decay of the art of fusion, was also the advent of the industrial revolution (it’s the nineteen century) which prevented from supplying the raw materials.

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In a context of events aimed at carrying out the artisan activities, the “Storia Patria” centre, the Town Council (that has established a training course for young melters, copper smiths and blacksmiths), the Pro Loco and the Scuola Media “Nello Lombardo”, have promoted the manufacturing of the metals in Tortorici where from May 1999 have been fused some bells. , some artistic copper tools have been realized, and has been fused a medallion reprensting the coat of arms of Tortorici (symbol of the liberation from the feudal domination).

There were generally two techniques of fusing the bells and objects:: the technique at “lost wax” and the technique at (moulding box) “flasks”. The first technique is very old and it needs a long time processing. The wax is made up of a kind of: bees wax, paraffin and Greek wax; it is a very malleable and gummy compound (mixture). Form this we obtain a pattern which will be replaced by the fuse bronze. This technique is one of the best because, thanks to it, we can obtain some products which are well defined in details. After the bronze melt it is necessary for them to have many finishing touches works. The technique at moulding box (flask) is so called because some iron flasks are used during the processing of the various fused bronze objects; this technique is very accurate compared with the lost wax technique. In fact, after the fusion, the object needs several attentions like the cleaning and the care of the details before considering it finished.

The most important difference between the two techniques is the pattern. In fact, whereas by the flask technique the pattern can be used several times, by the lost wax technique the pattern can be used only once.

Holiday houses in the old town centres and inside the park. This is a way to give an opportunity to visit and live these beautiful places, between sea and woods, to people who don’t know them.