I rivestimenti degli scafi dall'antichità all'età moderna. Introduzione alle tecniche e alle maestranze

Ever since man began sailing, the problem of protecting the hull from the action of the elements and organisms that could damage it has arisen. Since ancient times, pitch and resins, liquid or mixed with vegetal fibres, have been used in the Mediterranean and in the West, and bitumen from superficial oil deposits in the East. This volume offers an overview of the topic of covering wooden hulls from ancient times to modern times in order to make the hull watertight and protect the wood. The topic is addressed through the study of both archaeological and historical sources. While the former allow us to study the evolution of hull protection and waterproofing systems, the latter document the workers employed in the exploitation of resources, in the processing of pitch and hemp and in waterproofing techniques. In Roman times, until the 2nd century AD, the hulls were protected by a layer of fabric impregnated with pitch and a lead sheet; in late antique and medieval times, a layer of pitch, or resinous materials, was used in addition to the caulking between the planks to seal the hull; in the modern era the metal sheet returns, first in lead then in copper alloy, over a tarred fabric. Thanks to the information obtained from the texts and representations, in fact, it is possible to better understand the employed raw materials and the processing and production processes of pitch and hemp. The inscriptions regarding the scholae and collegia and corporations provide us with important information for the knowledge of ancient and medieval workers, considered fundamental over the centuries, whether represented by the stuppatores, unctores, or calafati. From this work emerges the clear necessity of interdisciplinary studies that adequately delve into the topic and the multiple research perspectives that can arise from it.