L’ECONOMIA DEL SACRO A MARZABOTTO

Abstract

This paper analyses the various raw materials used to develop an economy of the sacred in Marzabotto. From stone to metal, clay, wood and food resources, this study describes the systems that the city put in place from the time of its foundation, not only in relation to sacred architecture, but also with the aim of creating and developing productive and commercial activities that revolved around the sacred. In outlining the different types of production related to religious activities, the analysis highlights the pre-eminent role held by the city in the surrounding territory, as a gathering place and point of attraction for seasonal activities, which were most likely related to the sacred. A new image of the city emerges from this analysis. The sacred in Marzabotto is not an aspect that resulted from the urban structure of the town, but rather it is the premise from which the social, cultural and economic development of the city was generated.