From the early 1900s, November 11 brought the Fierucola dei Trabiccoli to the Ponte Santa Trinita area in Florence. This much-anticipated fair offered a variety of household items and traditional tools vital for daily domestic life. Popular with locals, the fair focused particularly on selling two distinctive objects: trabiccoli and preti, essential tools for keeping homes warm and drying clothes during cold winter months.
What Were Trabiccoli and Preti?
The trabiccoli were lightweight wooden structures resembling small cages. The structure included a hook under a domed top, designed to hang a small scaldino (a portable heater). The scaldino provided a gentle heat source, with burning embers placed within to warm the immediate area. This domed trabiccolo was one popular design.
Another variation, the prete, had an elongated, elliptical shape and came in various sizes. Its purpose was similar, providing warmth and helping to dry laundry.
How Did the Trabiccoli and Preti Work?
The device worked by suspending a small terracotta pot known as the cecia at the top center of the trabiccolo or prete. Inside the cecia, people would place hot embers, creating a portable heat source. During especially cold winters, women often carried these scaldini with them as they walked, much like carrying a handbag today, to prevent frostbite on hands and keep warm while on the go.
The End of a Tradition, but Florence’s Heritage Lives On
Though the Fierucola dei Trabiccoli no longer takes place, it remains a testament to Florence’s inventive solutions for daily life in a pre-modern world. This unique tradition is one of many that add layers to Florence’s rich cultural heritage, remembered by locals and celebrated in stories of the past.
