Pottery
The origins of pottery making in Ficulle have not been found, but the suggestive hypothesis that the name of the town itself derives from figulus, potter, has credit.
Undoubtedly suggestive is the news, reported by Fumi in his study "The cathedral of Orvieto and its restorations", of an order dating back to 1321 of brick material used for the roof of the cathedral and requested from a factory in Villa di Montanso, in territory of Ficulle. Again, in the land registers of 1590 and 1597, reference is made several times to furnaces to indicate the limits of the registered properties. We can add material data to the written memory thanks to some specimens from private collections dating back to the 1600s. It seems superfluous to specify, therefore, that Ficullese ceramics can boast a centuries-old tradition. The oral tradition makes it possible to find information on the Ficullese production starting from the first half of the 19th century, when a dozen families of artisans were active in the municipal territory, both within the town and in the hamlets, three of which operated in a the area that had taken the toponym from them, still in use, "Le Cocciare". The choice of the place was not made by chance, given that a little further downstream, there was one of the richest and most exploited clay quarries in the area.
The most typical and traditional forms of Ficulesi terracotta are: the "scam", a characteristic container in which oil was used, also used as a means of measurement; the jug and "breaded", pot-bellied containers of various sizes and with a wide and wedged spout, ideal for carrying water and wine; the "pignatta" and the "pignatto", the first with two handles, was mainly used during threshing to make broth, the second with a handle, ideal for cooking food in the fireplace, especially beans; the “stufarola”, a characteristic large pot, with a lid, used to make soups, stews, stewed meats, etc .; the "pretina" and the "focone", inside which there were hot coals, used, the first, to warm the bed in the evening before going to bed, the second, to heat the entire bedroom; the "broccuccio" and the "broccuccetto", with a typical bow handle, were used to carry water. A special feature are also the terracotta whistles, mostly reproduced in the shape of domestic or wild animals.
The cuisine of Ficulle finds its own precise identity thanks to the particular link it has with the tradition of terracotta, in fact, different types of "crock" were used and are still used today, depending on the dish, capable of enhancing its flavors and characteristics. For example, pancotto, beans with pork rinds, legumes in general or soups were cooked in the pot, while stews were used for "rabbit alla cacciatora", "chicken all'arrabbione" or meat in general.
Currently, in Ficulle, the Fattorini artisan workshop keeps alive the tradition of the production of terracotta. The laboratory is open by appointment for visits and demonstrations, while the showroom is always open for the purchase of the shards that Fabio, the cocciaro, has also been able to modernize over time, creatively creating dishes for modern use such as the highly appreciated pot. for baking bread and one for baking potatoes. Inside the village, however, it is possible to visit the private museum of terracotta of Costantino del Croce, another historical cocciaro of the town who recently, before retiring, wanted to create an example of each type of earthenware produced for future memory. in his life by him and by the members of his family who had been coachmen before him.
