A Time Warp To The Late Dark Ages
“Claimed as the oldest and longest-running festival in Italy”
What do we know about the Dark Ages? The period where everybody thinks of the massive warfare across Europe after the downfall of the Roman Empire by the barbarians, or the slaughters of the scholars due to their misinterpreted intelligence as witchcraft? Well, stop there. They are all myths. In fact, the downfall of the Roman Empire brings the economy to be a lot localized and the Roman kings were out of cash to pay hordes of armies. And the scholars developed new military technology and agricultural techniques and handcrafts. These transitions are the moments celebrated every year by Monteriggioni, embracing the rising of the Dark Ages which are not dark at all.
Bringing out the theme of the magic and mysteries of Dante's time 700 years ago where it was famous as the Late Dark Ages, the event takes place in this medieval town, Monteriggioni, which lies on a natural stomp of hill, surrounded by walls and gates. Two men dressed in medieval crusader costume with swords in their scabbards and breastplates on their chest are guarding the the portcullis, the main gate with the metal grate that can be dropped vertically. There are also some men in knight costume patrolling on the town's wall with halberds in their possession. Once inside, a lot of people are dressed in medieval attire that one can see which social class they choose to be in or characters they want to be. The merchants normally wear robes or tunics in coarse fabric. Some men resemble the peasants, dressed in simple blouse clothes with broad collar combined with short woolen trousers or leggings, a purse and a knife sheath hung from their leather belt. The women mainly dress in richly decorated and embroidered robes, with pointed boots or shoes. Some others are in clergy or military attire, or in upper-class medieval clothes with extravagance cloaks decorated with fur or animal skin robes or felt. Moreover, the visitors are seem in festive mood that they also wear the medieval costume.
The first stall after the gate is apparently a currency exchanger stall. In this festival, they have their own currency to make any purchases whether they are food or crafts or the token for the booth games. They are coins made by bronze and silver. A little Anglo-Saxon pouch that can be worn around the waist to keep those coins would be given once one exchanges the money. This little extra gives a quite real experience for the visitors.
The opening is in the main plaza, Piazza Roma, starts by a parade of all the casts of the day, in the accompany of of the Monteriggioni drum band. There are the actors, artists, crafters, dancers, illusionists, magician, jesters, bards, singers. One by one enters the plaza, sends salute to the visitors after being called, and stands in line until the parade is finished. It is so fascinating like watching a fashion show of people in medieval attire. The opening is ended by the salutation of the lord of the castle welcoming all the visitors, which then the festival games on.
There are three stages scattered in the town: Piazza Roma, Piazza Primo Maggio, and Fontebranda). All the stages have many performances that run alternately that one will never run out of, whether they are live music, puppet shows, comedies, magic tricks or acrobatics. The music concerts are performed by international musicians and band which are dedicated on medieval music which is so mystical yet energetic, giving the mood of what people really listen to on the street in those periods. The instruments used many plucked strings such as lute with the shape of big pear which is the predecessor of modern guitar, mandore, bowed lyra, and others I can't even know the name. Some others interesting instruments that catch my ears are the sackbut and mini pipe organ. The music really warps us back to that ancient time.
The town itself is not huge, it can be circled in 20 minutes. However, in this event there are so many mini-shows and circus in the fair, a playground where they hold a lot of traditional games and stunts, magicians and a lot of art and craft booth that are enthralling to see. The exposition from an archaeological group "Arké Archeologia Sperimentale" is one that cannot be missed. They present a live visual representation of the activities that are conducted in around 10th century, such as traditional blacksmith, medieval alchemy, herbal and medicines, ceramics by the potter's wheel, silk and wool knitting of the medieval clothing, and handmade tapestries from the animal leather, and many others. This will allow ones to feel the journey through the past. This group has its own open-air museum as well in Siena that exhibits their discoveries from their first digging in 1992.
The actor and actresses, dancers and all the artists, they roam around the town still in their act. They interact to us as if we really are the guests of the castles. By the way, the jesters are really mind-blowing. They entertain the visitors in the market and on the streets with their skill of magic tricks, jokes, comedies, juggling, and acrobatic stunts. And most of all their clothes are amazing, the bright coloured cloths and eccentric hats with motley pattern, just like Harley Quinn and Joker from the DC Comics.
There is a chance too to taste the medieval cuisine, "Banquet at The Castle", a magnificent prologue to the medieval festival of Monteriggioni in one of the most picturesque squares of Italy. The banquet traces the history of the castle through ancient delicacies, a light-hearted evening with harmony, good food, and some surprises.
Claimed as the oldest and longest-running festival in Italy, this should be never missed once you come to Tuscany in the summer, where all the towns of the region celebrate the event. And again, the Dark Ages are not so dark at all.