Tramutola
The History of Tramutola
Tramutola, also known as Tramùtele in the Lucanian dialect, is a small town with a population of about 2925 inhabitants, located in the province of Potenza in Basilicata, Italy. The origins of this city are not very ancient and are related to the penetration of the Benedictine monks in the area. According to some theories, a group of rejected people from the emerging Paternese civilization sought protection in the gorge where the town is now located. In 1144, a monk from the Territorial Abbey of the Holy Trinity of Cava de' Tirreni, Giovanni di Marsico, chaplain of the Falcone Abbot, who had not forgotten his homeland, gained the sympathy of some wealthy lords who donated to the Abbey of Cava the church of San Pietro with its dormitory and all its possessions.
The Benedictines
These buildings, perhaps founded by the Basilians, had attained a certain importance, as a rest stop on the road that led from Atena Lucana, through Brienza, to Marsico. The fame of sanctity of the Cava Benedictines and the reclamation work carried out in a land marked by marshy areas contributed to enlarging the inhabited area. The monks' care favored the cultivation of mulberry trees and silkworm breeding which, together with linen and hemp and a certain textile production, were for centuries the pillars of the local economy.
Protection from oppression
The dependence on the Abbey of Cava allowed the Tramutola community a certain protection from the oppression that other towns suffered from "secular" feudal lords. The abbot of Cava, who was awarded the title of Baron of Tramutola, exercised his government through a vicar for ecclesiastical affairs, and a "bajulo" for all fiscal and financial aspects. The heads of families could voice their opinions through a parliament that met twice a year.
Natural Oil Outcrops
The town of Tramutola was already known for the presence of oil since the mid-nineteenth century, as the geographer Amato Amati reported the exploitation of asphalt mines in the municipality. This was confirmed by the "Annals of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies," which cited the exhibition of samples of asphalt from Marsico and Tramutola at the "public exhibition of arts and industry of 1853." Its natural oil outcrops were described by the geologist Camillo Crema in 1902:
Exploitation of Oil by Agip
After a period of research and drilling carried out at the beginning of the 20th century, Agip exploited the Tramutola Oil Field in the area, with the drilling of 47 wells, 26 of which were productive from 1936 to 1943. The field was officially closed in 1959, after the drilling of a deep exploratory well, Tramutola 45, in 1958-1959.
In conclusion, Tramutola is a town with a long history that was governed by the Abbot of Cava for a long time. The town was known for the presence of oil since the 19th century and was exploited by Agip in the 20th century. The town is also known for mulberry cultivation and silkworm breeding which has been part of the local economy for centuries.
