It is always rewarding to find archival evidence that supports a working hypothesis. While researching the construction of the fortress of Monte Poggiolo during the Florentine Republic’s expansion into Romagna in the fifteenth century, I came across records describing how lime and bricks were hauled up the hill in large tubs, wicker baskets, and simple wooden stretchers carried by mules or by hand. What caught my attention was the repeated mention of repairing these stretchers with reused timber and iron fittings. Constantly patched together from discarded materials, they left a clear documentary trace of a practical building culture based on maintenance, adaptation, and reuse. Small details like these offer valuable insight into the everyday logistics behind the construction of Florence’s frontier fortifications — and reinforce the direction of my current research.
