Out with the old/historic and in with the new

This Sunday we decided to patrol the river valley. We set off along what is shown as a Roman road on the map. The road ran alongside the river from Northern Italy to Pistoia south of the Apennines.

And at this point from 2 BC to 3AD there was an important town called Luceria. Old photos show that some of the forum was still standing in the early 20th century. This is the site of the modern digs, complete with sign warning vandals to keep out. I think the warning came too late.

Yet the Romans knew a thing or two about road building, in fact the new ring road picks up the old route and developes it out of all proportion. Ringroads should take traffic around a town but they've only planned the first part of ours, the part bringing it into the area, convieniently finishing in the newly planned agro-industrial area

Being divided by a scarp from the rest of the viallge, not everyone is aware of how this once 'protected area ' is being taken over.

This ditch is actually all that remains of the Canale Ducale built in mid 15th century to take water from the river out into the plain. There are still a few working watermills along its length, including one in our village for grinding animal feed. In another area it crosses the built up area on a medieval viaduct. In the summer it is full of rushing water.

After promises to build a bridal path our council took the easy way out and are systematically replacing it with pipes.

And last but definitively not least, the 'piece de resistance', the local sawmills located right in the center of the village.

And with this I think I've discouraged any wouldbe visitors planning to pop over to sunny Italy.

Next week I' taking to the hills again....