Large Mortaio, Mascolo or Mortaletto d'Allegrezza in Bronze, 1757

Large and heavy Mortar, Mascolo rituale or Mortaletto d'Allegrezza in solid bronze made in 1757 with the lost wax casting technique, of a truncated cone shape and equipped with a large handle worked in "spool" type segments for facilitate handling and transport.

It is equipped, on the lower, more massive part of its cone, with a small hole also known as a firehole through which, by triggering a fuse, the gunpowder previously loaded and fitted with a wooden plug in the main hole of the Mortaletto was burned. This operation increased the compression, thus making the shot more thunderous and sonorous.

This Mortaletto presents, in relief on the trunk, a coat of arms or crowned blazon: this suggests that its creation was commissioned by an ancient noble family or by the General Council of a Municipality, and had the sole purpose of enriching the cheerfulness and liveliness of the particular religious or civil occasions.

The use of these Mortaletti or Mascoli was regulated by actual regulations and every use, expense, employment or accident was rigorously recorded in a special municipal register.

The extraordinary publication in Mortaletti and Masculi d'Allegrezza published in 2017 by Raoul Paciaroni entitled "Studia Apicena" contains images, stories and period publications.

The Mortar is 25 cm high, 15 cm wide at the base, 10 cm wide at the mouth and its weight is 16 kg.