An ancient craft in the process of disappearing: the cooper in Mugnano del Cardinale

In Mugnano del Cardinale there are those who still practice ancient crafts, which were once in great demand but are now gradually disappearing. For example, there are still today those who practice the activity of cooper, or make the barrels in which the wine is aged. The barrels were once made with chestnut wood, which was the material mainly used in the area, and the demand was very high. This is because, at least until the 1990s, elderly people still used to make wine at home. But then the demand changed, as only the large wineries remained who only want barrels made with French oak. Certainly the profession has changed, thanks to technological improvements. For example, it used to be hours and hours of work to plan a piece of wood. Today, with electric planes, the process is much faster and less tiring. Nonetheless, the cooper's trade is in decline, and few young people learn it and intend to continue on this path.