|
The cattle-tracks of Transhumance
A network of green roads was spread
throughout Puglia
("Transhumance" - Images of a civilization - Iannone Editions)
The
moving of the flocks which started every year on the 15th of October,
took place along interminable cattle-tracks which can be compared
to green arteries. They all had a standard width of about 111,60 metres,
in order to allow the grazing of the sheep while they were on the
move. These cattle-tracks were linked to one another by other smaller
and narrower paths. As they moved along these tracks,the shepherds
and their flocks would stop to rest.
A whole army of animals, dogs, carts and men moved along these paths.
To ensure major security, and to avoid customs-evasion, these green
tracks followed three principal routes called Royal Tracks.
The main tracks started in Aquila, Celano and Pescasseroli.
At the end of the leg of the journey
First
route
The sheep which followed the first route (Aquila-Foggia), after San
Pio delle Camere could follow one of the following parallel routes:
Manoppello-Guardiagrele-Montenegro and Bucchianico-Chieti-Lanciano.
This latter route reached the sea coast North of Punta di Penna and
then turned towards Vasto and Termoli. The two routes met at Serracapriola
and, passing through San Severo reached Foggia.
Second
route
The flocks that used this second track (Celano-Foggia), followed an
inland path, circled Pratolo Peligna and Sulmona, at Casale and Taverna
del Piano close to Rivisondoli there was a resting area, and successively
passed close to Roccaraso, Lucito and Lucera and finally reached Foggia.
Third
route
The flocks that followed the third route (Pescasseroli-Candela) which
passed close to our farm, left from the territory of Pescasseroli,
reached Castel di Sangro, from where they pursued one of the two following
tracks: the first passed through the mountains of Matese and included
the three resting places of Colle della Guardia, Casanicola and Saint
Margaret - located between Isernia and Vinchiaturo - and that of Casalbore,
close to Ariano Irpino, passed close to Rocchetta Sant'Antonio and
reached Canosa; the second was a Samnite route - Pescolanciano - Castropignano
- Campobasso, before entering in the territory of Lucera, circled
from south west and ended up in Foggia.
The
Crowned Virgin together with Saint Michael Archangel is the patron
saint and protector of the shepherds and their sheep. At the city
gates of Foggia, close to the Cervero forest which runs along the
torrent Cervaro there lies a famous sanctuary dedicated to the Madonna.
The Crowned Virgin of Foggia
The
shepherds found the image of the Virgin Mary, probably a Byzantine
icon of a Madonna with a dark coloured face.
The feudatory of the Crown, in order to safeguard the image, erected
a small church.
|
