“What’s missing, then? Oh yes, salt!”
When we are at the supermarket and we put a pack of salt in the trolley, probably we ignore its chemical name, or its chemical formula.
Our distant ancestor certainly didn’t know this; he used to walk up and down windy ridges with a heavy bag on his back, or if he was luckier it was bounded on a mule’s back.
Our well trained ancestor ignored physics or chemical concepts, but he could guess the effects of food preservation process, in order to protect it from rotting.
Fatigue, some snowflake blown away in the wind or the wolf howling among the gorges didn’t distract him from thinking that with that precious load he could also tan some animal hides to protect himself from cold.
In the Middle Ages, many trails connected the Po Valley to Liguria; the name “Way of Salt” is used from west Liguria to Tuscany in order to indicate many commercial tracks connecting the hinterland to the coast.
Despite differences in height and bad weather conditions, trails went over ridges, as they were more direct compared to tortuous valley floors.
Tracks over ridges were safer from brigand attacks; they could also avoid river crossing, as there were very few bridges, and they allowed the right way to be seen and followed.
Obviously, morphology suggested better tracks, but there was another important factor influencing the choice of the best way to follow, which was the medieval partition of territories among some important feudal families, this involved the payment of customs duty.
This guide is dedicated to all those hikers that walk these old but fascinating trails; we hope to give a useful description of the path undertaken by our brave ancestor.
When we are at the supermarket and we put a pack of salt in the trolley, probably we ignore its chemical name, or its chemical formula.
Our distant ancestor certainly didn’t know this; he used to walk up and down windy ridges with a heavy bag on his back, or if he was luckier it was bounded on a mule’s back.
Our well trained ancestor ignored physics or chemical concepts, but he could guess the effects of food preservation process, in order to protect it from rotting.
Fatigue, some snowflake blown away in the wind or the wolf howling among the gorges didn’t distract him from thinking that with that precious load he could also tan some animal hides to protect himself from cold.
In the Middle Ages, many trails connected the Po Valley to Liguria; the name “Way of Salt” is used from west Liguria to Tuscany in order to indicate many commercial tracks connecting the hinterland to the coast.
Despite differences in height and bad weather conditions, trails went over ridges, as they were more direct compared to tortuous valley floors.
Tracks over ridges were safer from brigand attacks; they could also avoid river crossing, as there were very few bridges, and they allowed the right way to be seen and followed.
Obviously, morphology suggested better tracks, but there was another important factor influencing the choice of the best way to follow, which was the medieval partition of territories among some important feudal families, this involved the payment of customs duty.
This guide is dedicated to all those hikers that walk these old but fascinating trails; we hope to give a useful description of the path undertaken by our brave ancestor.
Have a nice web browsing and a good way!
