blacksmith.

The figure of the blacksmith and his ancient craft.

The craft of the blacksmith born with the manufacture of iron, and, more generally, of metals. The Copper Age marks an important step in the evolution of man: it is in this period that began the art of metallurgy, more than 5000 years before the birth of Christ.

The ability to tame the iron and change the mechanical properties by means of forging and tempering, placed the blacksmith, as well as the doctor or astrologer, a part of that class of men whose work, important for the rest of ‘humanity, it needed some divine assistance in order to succeed at best, and claimed, therefore, a special relationship with the Gods.

This is not surprising when you consider the importance that had to have, then, the fact that his sword would not break at the first impact, in a melee with the enemy.

Thus was born that image dei Fabbri, seen as being a bit ‘special: strong men and a little’ wild, able to win the fight with the material initially so unkind and pliable.

We’re talking about the birth of Wrought Iron and shape of the Blacksmith, now seen as the demiurge, the creator capable, with the help of fire and water, of shaping the material.

Greek mythology before, with Hephaestus, and then the Roman, with the respect always paid tribute to the Grand Blacksmith Vulcan, the Blacksmith and finally consecrated his art by giving them the aspect of “magic” that, at least in part, accompanied them to to more recent times.

Not much different, in fact, by their foster father, by their symbol. Hephaestus (Vulcan), husband of the beautiful Aphrodite (Venus), the god of fire and the underworld and feared by the Zeus (Jupiter), father of the Gods. The ancient Romans, much more practical and less “dreamers” of the Greeks, whose culture had so drawn, turned and realized the figure of the blacksmith.

He was born “homo-faber”; still arms manufacturer but also, increasingly, dedicated to the manufacture of those objects “civilians” that a modern society and cosmopolitan, like that of ancient Rome, required.

 

TOOLS OF THE BLACKSMITH

atterzzi fabbro-tile

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