The quarryman’s tools
The Tools of Quarrymen-Farmers: Simple, But Effective
In the Ligurian hills, the quarrymen-farmers did not rely on sophisticated machinery, but on a selection of essential but robust tools, capable of dealing with the hard work of slate.
The Pickaxe, Heart of the Operation
At the center of this activity was the pickaxe, known locally as “picún” or “pigún” in Cogorno. This iron pickaxe, with a hardened steel tip, was more massive and heavier than those used in the fields, with a shorter handle to ensure a firm grip when digging.
Auxiliary Tools
In addition to the pickaxe, the quarrymen had some auxiliary tools at their disposal. Steel wedges and a sledgehammer were essential for driving the wedges into the cracks in the slate. A square and iron levers, called “crowbars”, of various lengths, completed the kit, offering the possibility of maneuvering and moving heavy blocks of slate.
Technological Innovation: Gunpowder
Towards the end of the 1500s, a technological revolution shocked the industry with the introduction of gunpowder, perhaps the only external contribution after the Iron Age. This powder, used with subsequent refinements, improved the effectiveness of the pickaxe and other traditional tools. Thanks to gunpowder and advanced excavation techniques, quarrymen could reach previously unthinkable depths and demolish even the hardest rocks with relative ease, opening up new extraction possibilities.
Sources
Savioli L., “Tecniche di produzione e lavorazione”, in Mannoni T. (a c. di), “Ardesia. Materia, Cultura, Futuro”, Genova, Sagep Editrice, 1995
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