Washtubs

The water of the fountains in the historical center comes from the Simbrivio river, a tributary of the Aniene river that rises on the slopes of Mount Autore, near Vallepietra (Rome), an area between Lazio and Abruzzo regions. In 1932, the water was supplied for the first time from the fountain monument to the fallen of the First World War (in the middle of the square). In the historical center area, there were the main fountains built for different purposes, from which water was taken to drink, to cook and to wash. One can also list one at the entrance of the historical center, before the main arch, and the fountain called “Fontana di Rosinella”, from the name of the woman living next to it, located in the main street between the square and the church.

Piazza Umberto I

The women of the village went to fetch water with basins and little containers and copper vessels. The water was taken before dinner for cooking and immediately after dinner for the night. The women of the village still remember the heated quarrels that arose during the long lines at the fountains. Some fountains were used to wash clothes, like the ones out of the centre, for example: Fontanaccia in the Pratone area (now buried), the fountain in the Piscari area, the fountain in the Formale area (via Artena), sometimes they went to the Giulianello lake and the Fountains in the historical center. In the latter area there are the remains of the so-called ‘bottino’, meaning it “little barrel”. This structure, still visible, is a large cistern that was filled thanks to the spring sources, and the collected water was used to supply the fountains in periods of drought. The “Washtubs” area, currently renovated, is used as the seat of the ASBUC association – the management authority of civic goods in Giulianello area.

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Il Comune di Cori

Formerly, this structure presented on the left a wall with three basins and their relative fountains as it was mainly used for doing laundry. Here, too, there was often a queue. The women brought the clothes of the whole family that were soaped in the first basin, then beaten and rinsed in the next tubs. All this meant that the first tank was always quite dirty as the influx of water was often not such as to be able to create a timely recirculation. In fact, Mrs. Angelina remembers that she used to let other women go ahead if the sheets of a woman who had given birth in the previous days had been washed before her. The soap used for the clothing was homemade with recycled materials: laying of olive oil (sludge) and pork fat mixed with soda. It was prepared the night before the washing day and the following day it was already solid, ready to be cut.

Washtubs

Piazza Umberto I

Il Comune di Cori

POLIS-È-MIA – codice unico progetto F82JI7000100001 – con D.D. G14038 del 18/10/2017 parte di “Giovani 2017: Aggregazione, prevenzione e supporto”

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