Cave of the lava rock ,Belpasso ,Nicolosi(catania )
Etna has hardened the character of this land and those who live on its slopes, giving at the same time, in a tragicomic twist of fate, terror and fear alternating with a precious gift and millennial: lava stone, apparently inert element, but in reality a unique product in the world, today used in various fields of construction and architecture.
It still exists in the Third Millennium, especially in eastern Sicily, the work of the so-called "pirriaturi", that is, of one who went, and still goes, in the stone quarries, the "pirrere" in fact, to extract and process the large and compact blocks of basalt.
Today, in spite of this trade is facilitated by the existence of modern machinery and sophisticated (lava stone is extracted with the aid of mechanical shovels and bulldozers to reach deep layers where the lava is even more compact, harder and lighter in color ), the "pirriaturi" is still a very strenuous activity, but from which arise finished products are unique in the world.
Works of art, furnishings, innovative solutions for indoor and outdoor, street furniture, construction and architecture ... make the lava rock in all respects the great resource of the province of Catania, for the its originality, uniqueness and versatility, despite the harshness and cruelty with which it is born. A durable material, at the same time expressive and decorative, with excellent physical and mechanical performances.
Antonio Iacona
articolo tratto da "ITALIA PIU'" allegato a "IL SOLE 24 ORE" - Luglio 2004