[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n
On June 17th, 2016 we were at the Historical Museum in Altino, to talk about the history of Venetian fabrics. We explained how our Tessitura is keeping this Venetian tradition alive and discovered where it is rooted in.<\/p>\n
Why did we end up in this museum, you may be wondering. Because Altino has a special connection to Venice: it\u2019s one of the towns where the history of Venice began.<\/p>\n
Altino\u2019s now a tiny town in the countryside, almost unknown. But this was not the case for ancient Romans: from the 2nd century BC to the 5th century AD, Altinum <\/em>was a big city<\/strong>, a fundamental centre of trade. Surrounded by rivers and on the edge of the lagoon, it was connected to other important cities, too – Adria, Padua and Aquileia – by means of the via Annia.<\/p>\n That is to say, its economy was flourishing. Wool production included: Pliny the Elder, for example, describes the wool from Altino <\/strong>as a delicate, shining white and extremely fine fabric. Actually, it was one of the three top wools in the Roman Empire.<\/p>\n But what happened to this thriving city? Why did it disappear?<\/p>\n There are 2 reasons: barbaric invasions and sea level rise.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/www.luigi-bevilacqua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Museo-di-Altino-1.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”left” sticky=”off” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] [\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n During the 5th century the Roman Empire was hit with a series of barbaric invasions. Which affected the cities of today\u2019s Veneto region, too, like Altino. So the population decided to abandon the mainland<\/strong> and take shelter on the islands of the lagoon. Which then gave birth to Venice.<\/p>\n The inhabitants of Altino, too, had opted for leaving. The city, however, managed to survive, at least until the 7th century. Indeed, in 639 the bishop of Altino <\/strong>definitely moved his seat to the island of Torcello<\/strong>. And the rest of the population followed him.<\/p>\n By that time, living in Altino had become impossible: the invasions hadn\u2019t stopped, and a climate change added to them. The sea level rose, but the water network, ruined and abandoned, couldn\u2019t protect the land from flooding anymore. So the area was slowly turning into a marsh<\/strong>.<\/p>\n So, while the history of Venice began, Altino went into a decline. But its handicraft, thanks to its inhabitants, didn\u2019t disappear.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/www.luigi-bevilacqua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Telaio-per-velluti-jacquard.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”left” sticky=”off” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] [\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/www.luigi-bevilacqua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Pecore-da-lana.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”left” sticky=”off” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n Torcello kept on producing fine wool at least until the 14th century, when Venice outdid it. But the latter city, in the meantime, had discovered another kind of fabric: silk.<\/p>\n From its relationship with Byzantium<\/a>, Venice got first of all luxury fabrics it could sell. But then it discovered the techniques to weave silk, as well.<\/p>\n Thanks to the trips of the Polo brothers to China<\/a>, during the 13th century new motifs arrived in Venice, too. And in 1265 the Arte dei Samiteri<\/em> came to life, the guild which produced the richest silk fabric of that time, samite.<\/p>\n Which was none other than the forefather of Venetian velvets<\/a>.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_gallery admin_label=”Gallery” gallery_ids=”7914,7910,7918″ fullwidth=”on” show_title_and_caption=”on” show_pagination=”on” background_layout=”light” auto=”off” hover_overlay_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.9)” caption_all_caps=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Let\u2019s go to Altino, a city connected to the origins of Venice and its silk industry, where we took part in a meeting on the history of fabrics<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7897,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" Lo scorso 17 giugno siamo stati al Museo archeologico di Altino, per parlare della Storia dei tessuti a Venezia<\/em>. Abbiamo parlato di come la Tessitura continua questa tradizione veneziana, ma abbiamo anche scoperto quali sono le sue origini.<\/p> Perch\u00e9 siamo finiti proprio in questo museo, vi chiederete. Perch\u00e9 Altino ha un legame unico con Venezia: \u00e8 uno dei centri dai quali ha avuto inizio la storia della citt\u00e0 lagunare.<\/p> Altino oggi \u00e8 un paesino di campagna, quasi sconosciuto. Ma per i Romani non era cos\u00ec: in epoca romana - pi\u00f9 precisamente dal II secolo a.C. - Altinum <\/em>era una grande citt\u00e0<\/strong>, un centro di commercio fondamentale. Circondata da fiumi e con uno sbocco diretto sulla laguna, era anche collegata ad altre importanti citt\u00e0 - Adria, Padova e Aquileia - grazie alla via Annia.<\/p> Insomma, la sua economia andava a gonfie vele. Compresa la produzione di lana: Plinio il Vecchio, ad esempio, parla della lana di Altino <\/strong>come un tessuto delicatissimo, di un bianco splendido e molto pregiato. Non a caso, era una delle tre lane pi\u00f9 ricercate del mondo romano.<\/p> Ma che \u00e8 successo a questa citt\u00e0 cos\u00ec fiorente? Com\u2019\u00e8 potuta scomparire?<\/p> I motivi sono 2: le invasioni barbariche e l\u2019innalzamento del livello del mare.<\/p> Nel V secolo l\u2019Impero romano fu colpito da una serie di invasioni barbariche. Comprese le citt\u00e0 dell\u2019odierno Veneto, come Altino. La popolazione decise quindi di abbandonare la terraferma<\/strong>, e di rifugiarsi sulle numerose isole della laguna. Dalle quali nascer\u00e0 poi Venezia.<\/p> Anche gli abitanti di Altino avevano preferito andarsene, ma la citt\u00e0 riusc\u00ec comunque a sopravvivere, almeno fino al VII secolo. Nel 639, infatti, il vescovo di Altino<\/strong> decise di spostare definitivamente la sua sede sull\u2019isola di Torcello<\/strong>. E il resto della popolazione lo segu\u00ec.<\/p> Ormai Altino era invivibile: le invasioni erano continuate, e ad esse si era aggiunto un cambiamento climatico che aveva alzato il livello del mare. Ma la rete idrica, rovinata e abbandonata, non poteva pi\u00f9 proteggere le campagne dall\u2019acqua. Quindi la zona si stava lentamente trasformando in una palude<\/strong>.<\/p> Cos\u00ec, mentre Venezia iniziava la sua storia, Altino and\u00f2 lentamente in decadenza. Ma il suo artigianato, grazie ai suoi abitanti, non spar\u00ec.<\/p> Torcello continu\u00f2 infatti a produrre lana pregiata almeno fino al XIV secolo, quando fu superato da Venezia. Che per\u00f2, nel frattempo, aveva scoperto un altro tipo di tessuto: la seta.<\/p> Dai suoi rapporti con Bisanzio<\/a> Venezia ricava prima di tutto tessuti pregiati da vendere. Ma scopre poi anche le tecniche di lavorazione della seta.<\/p><\/h3>\n
The end of Altino and the birth of Venice<\/h2>\n
New fabrics in Venice: the manufacturing of silk<\/h3>\n
La storia di Altino e dei primi tessuti veneziani<\/h2>
La fine di Altino e la nascita di Venezia<\/h2>
Nuovi tessuti a Venezia: la lavorazione della seta<\/h3>