Italy Alps Traditions: Ancient Jobs of Val Maira

A rich history of craftsmanship and trade: fine drapes, clothes, cheese, horseshoes, footwear and… anchovies!

Maira Valley, wild and unspoiled land in the Alps of Piedmont, has a rich history of craftsmanship and trade: fine drapes, clothes, cheese, horseshoes, footwear and, surprisingly, anchovies.

“Ooo anciuìe, anciuìe!”
(“Anchovieees, anchovieees!”)

Mastering ash woodworking wasn’t a job for everyone: coopers from the Maira Valley were highly requested in the wine lands, from the Langhe to the Monferrato regions for their ability to craft wooden containers, vats, buckets, barrels and presses.

They were also famous for producing the “caruss d’anciuìe”, used by the anchovies peddlers to store the barrels containing salted anchovies to be transported and sold in the valley. The wood artisans were almost all from the village of Tetti di Dronero, and they awaited the return of the anciuìe every year to get paid with the revenue of the anchovies trade.

Bottai and Pelassiers
(Coopers and wig-makers)

Another itinerant profession of this remote valley in the Alps of Piedmont was the one of the “pelassiers”, which was practiced throughout 20th century: during winter they descended from the high valley to cut the hair of women willing to sacrifice some of their hair in exchange for a strap of cloth or a foulard to cover the head after the hair was cut.
The hair collected was then processed by the pelassier to create different wigs, to be sold to the Italian and French nobility.

The Seles Museum

Located in the ancient San Rocco church, in the hamlet of Borgata Chiesa the Museum offers a nice overview of the ancient traditions of Val Maira, focusing on the ancient job of the anciuìe, and showcases the typical clothes and tools and plenty of other interesting stuff, and on the fishing and fish transportation and trade in Maira Valley.

OPENING TIMES:
Open all the sundays from 23 June to 1 September, 10-12 am and 2-6pm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION...
Comune di Celle di Macra
B.ta Chiesa, 1 – Celle di Macra (CN)
Tel 0171 999190 - Fax 0171 999835
e-mail segreteria@comune.celledimacra.cn.it
web www.comune.celledimacra.cn.it