I mulini ad acqua: dalla conservazione statica alla pratica sistemica

THE MILLS OF POLIZZI: FROM STATIC STORAGE TO SYSTEMIC PRACTICE.The traditional system of grinding with millstones driven by water power,spread all over the Mediterranean, is there in many municipalities in theprovince of Palermo, and it remained in use until after World War II. It is ahorizontal wheel manufacturing facilities; several mills generally arise insuccession along the same river, thus constituting a system. These are thecharacteristics of the "flomaria molendinorum" in the territory of PolizziGenerosa: a real flight of steps of plumbing system still visible in thelandscape today, concentrations witnessed since the twelfth century. Withineach geographical area the development of water mills fits within the economicand political history of the area and it constitutes a central elementespecially in terms of socio-economic development. In Sicily, the mill and theparatore are sometimes associated with other industrial and agriculturalenterprises so that to create some smaller agglomerations. The presence of themill thus determines the appearance of other activities that are spread in thearea. These pre-industrial production facilities, despite the good intentionsof the Park, are in a state of decay, now almost irreversible, both for heavychanges over time, and for the state of neglect in which some of them are. Theobjective possibilities of utilization of the mills suggest their functionalrecovery to preserve, with proper restoration, the elements still intact orenucleable from the context of accretions and alterations in order to theirscientific knowledge, their protection and preservation, conservation andfruition.