Stigliano, Sovicille
Stigliano | ||
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Dialing code 0577 | | |
Stigliano is a village in Tuscany, Italy, a frazione (subdivision) of the comune of Sovicille, in the province of Siena.
History
Ancient era
As showed by excavations of the ruins of castellieri (walls protecting ancient settlements) on the Sienavecchia height, the origins of Stigliano date to
Although very little is known of Stigliano during Roman times, the name Sextilianum, which appears in later records, may show the existence of a private property later on giving the name to the village.
Middle Ages
Stigliano is the site of one of the many castles that were part of the Ardenghesca consortium, feudal lords of Lombard ancestry.
In the Middle Ages Stigliano was the hub of a network of roads crossing the region, one to Massa Marittima and another following the Rosia river to the Maremma area. All routes passed through the villages of Torri and Stigliano; traces of the old roads can be seen in the woods near Stigliano.
The presence of a monastery at Torri triggered economic growth in the area. The monks carried out an agricultural and industrial revolution, draining the marshes and introducing water mills along the Merse. The river accommodated every sort of hydraulic machinery, but mainly the ones, as forges, related to
The abundance of water and wood, so acutely missed by the Siena merchants, influenced the development of Stigliano and the neighbouring villages during the 13th century. These natural resources were of crucial importance for Siena, the major city in the area, who decided finally to take the Ardenghesche lands for its own purposes. The first established industry was that of the Wool Masters, “the Follatura”, who signed a contract with the monks at Torri to develop hydraulic machinery along the Merse river. Later on, the river was diverted to power a series of huge flour mills, built by the Sienese Commune, of which three are still standing: Molino del Pero, near Brenna, Molino Serravalle and Molino del Palazzo. The straight track which goes to San Rocco a Pilli was also built at this time. Some other mills, “Sassa” and “Volta”, are just ruins. These mills were indispensable for the production of flour to supply Siena. Their intricate hydraulic system stretched for kilometres and was one of the most important technical achievements of the Middle Ages in Tuscany.
A careful inventory of land properties in 1320, carried out by the Siena authorities for tax purposes, reveals the main source of incomes from this area in middle age: the iron industry. Although still primitive, siderurgy was greatly improved by hydraulic machinery, and reached high levels of sophistication. During this era, Stigliano was an independent commune, owning large areas of woodland and granting permits for allotments to its inhabitants, not only to farmers but also to commercial entrepreneurs and merchants. There are documents recording land exchanges with the Sienese as far back as the 13th century. However, after the outbreak of the