Figure 1.--This photograph was taken after World War II (March 1948). It was taken in Africo, a village in the mountains of Calabria region (700 m). The village was one of the poorest in Calabria. The Italian Economic Miracle had not yet taken hold. Only a mountain path led to the village. There was no electricity, running water, medical services, or shops. The one room school was the only public service. The village was finally abandoned in 1951 after a flood. In the mountains the weather in the Calabrian mountains could be a bit chilly. The girls are barefoot, probably because they didn't own any sort of footwear, but the younger one has a sort of heavy scarf. There is some similarity with the image of an Irish girl also barefoot and wearing an heavy scarf.

Calabria is southern-most Italian mainland region, best described as the 'toe' of the Italian boot-shaped peninsula. Calabria is a peninsula of its own, jutting out to the south west toward Sicily to which it is linked geologically. Calabria physically separates the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas. Most of the region is mountainous or hilly terrine not supportive of intensive agriculture and creating cooler temperatures from the warmer coasts. . There are lowlands lowlands in the Crati River valley near Sibari, the Marchesato (territory) near Crotone (Crotona) of Sant'Eufemia, and of Gioia Tauro. In the north, Calabria is linked to Apennine Range by the Mount Pollino massif (2,248 meters). From there the west coast range continues south. it is separated by the Crati River from the important La Sula massif (1,928 m). An isthmus between the gulfs of Sant'Eufemia (west) and Quesadilla (east) separate the northern and southern sections of the region. The uplands continue as the Apennines Calaboose and culminate in the extreme southern tip as the Promontory massif at Mont alto (1,956 m). Calabria was the location of major Greek colonization, including Crotona, Sybarites, and Rhenium (Reggie DI Calabria). The Greek period was the golden age of Calabria. Colonization began (8th century BC). Rome eventually conquered the area, first founding a colony at Brundisium (Brindisi) (246 BC) and captured Tarentum (Taranto) (209 BC). It became the Roman province of Ager Bruttius. The province declined into a remote provincial outpost of Rome with limited importance. The Greek geographer Strabo reported that there were 13 well-to-do cities (1st century BC), but over time only the ports of Tarentum and Brundisium thrived. The wool trade was of some importance. Pasturing sheep was possible in hilly terrain where agriculture was difficult. The Byzantines controlled it for five centuries as the Duchy of Calabria. Under Byzantine rule, Calabria regained its Hellenic character. Monasticism and hermitages appeared and many churches were built. The most spectacular was Cattolica di Stilo. It is in Calavria that Greco-Calabrian Basilian monks dedicated themselves to the transcription of classical and religious texts, much like the Irish monasteries, saving countless ancient works. It was the Byzantines who wrestled the secret of silk from China. Calabria became a center of silk production. Catanzaro became the main silk production center in Europe during the medieval era. The Norman conquest of Calabria began the gradual Latinization of the region. Along with the rest of Southern Italy, Calabria became part of the Spanish controlled Kingdom of Naples (under various names). As with Spain itself, the region declined into a European backwater. Calabria is where Montgomery's British Eighth Army landed largely unopposed as part of the Allied invasion of Italy (September 1943). The Allies hoped that the Germans would rush forward leaving Naples undefended, but Field Marshall Kesserling did not take the bait, even when the British seized the port of Taranto. The fight for the south and prize of Naples would be at Salerno. Today tourism is becoming importnt in Calabria, offering a warm climate, glorious coast, and impressive architectural treasures from its fascinating history.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronology] [Clothing styles] [Countries]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [FAQs] [Glossaries] [Images] [Links] [Registration] [Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]

Created: 8:13 PM 7/11/2009
Last updated: 8:39 PM 6/4/2010