Figure 1.-- An Italian reader has provided some information on the "carusi". Here we have some images showing boys working in Sicilian sulphur mines in late 19th century. These boys were called "carusi". In Sicilian dialect the word "caruso" (pl. "carusi") means boy. In 1876 an inquiry reports: "The carusi are boys 7-15 years old, that carry the sulphur from the tunnels. The boys work underground 8-10 hours everyday". |
We do not have much information on Italian child labor in mines. We do have some information about sulphur mines. An Italian reader has provided some information on the "carusi". Here we have some images showing boys working in Sicilian sulphur mines in late 19th century. These boys were called "carusi". In Sicilian dialect the word "caruso" (pl. "carusi") means boy. In 1876 an inquiry reports: "The carusi are boys 7-15 years old, that carry the sulphur from the tunnels. The boys work underground 8-10 hours everyday". The boys worked semi naked, sometime also naked. I'm not sure why this was. Heat may have been a factor. I know little about it, but assume that sulphur mines were located near volcanos, explaining the heat. Perhaps the sulphur damaged clothes. It must have also afected their skin and lungs. A reader writes, "The carusi and also the adult men miners worked naked or semi-naked because of the the hot temperature. That continued over the time. Photographs exist even after World War II showing Sicilian miners at work without clothes, although by this time child labor was being ended. There is a monument dedicated to the dead miners in Comitini, a Sicilian village.
The boys were "rented" by the miners from the boys' parents. The miners paid the parents and the carusi had to work in the mine for a fixed time, therefore they lived like slaves for the "rental" period. A movie was made about the carusi in 1992. It was titled "La discesa di Aclą a Floristella" (Aclas descending into Floristella). Floristella was one of the sulphur mines.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Italian pages:
[Return to the Main Italian work page]
[Return to the Main Itlalian page]
[Italian school uniforms]
[Italian youth groups]
[Italian choirs]
[Italian movies]
[Italian royalty]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Satellite sites]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]