The essay aims to reconstruct the history of stone bridges in a sub-regional space (the Arno and Serchio basins in northwestern Tuscany) by questioning the relationship between the flourishing of these “petrified nodes” on communication routes and European economic growth in the period from the 11th to the 13th century. Indeed, the case study investigated constitutes one of the European areas most affected by this process of growth. The aim is also to reconstruct a broad picture of the range of social actors involved in this type of investment, overcoming the traditional narrative that attributes the construction of stone bridges to the initiative of urban communes alone, as a sign of their overwhelming and ineluctable supremacy over the countryside, both economic and political.
Petrified Nodes. Bridges and Economic Growth (Tuscany, 1050-1200)
Paolo Tomei
2024-01-01
Abstract
The essay aims to reconstruct the history of stone bridges in a sub-regional space (the Arno and Serchio basins in northwestern Tuscany) by questioning the relationship between the flourishing of these “petrified nodes” on communication routes and European economic growth in the period from the 11th to the 13th century. Indeed, the case study investigated constitutes one of the European areas most affected by this process of growth. The aim is also to reconstruct a broad picture of the range of social actors involved in this type of investment, overcoming the traditional narrative that attributes the construction of stone bridges to the initiative of urban communes alone, as a sign of their overwhelming and ineluctable supremacy over the countryside, both economic and political.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
