Underground Built Heritage and Food Production: From the Theoretical Approach to a Case/Study of Traditional Italian “Cave Cheeses”

Abstract

Throughout history, the natural perishability of food and its inconstant supply over the year have influenced family diets and local food traditions worldwide. These critical issues have been managed in two very different ways: by preserving raw foodstuffs, or by processing them. Underground spaces have often been used for both purposes. Their use for the preservation or processing of foods is a case of successful adaptation of local skills and technologies to the management of local resources and environmental conflicts. This paper, after proposing a methodological approach for elements included in the function “food” of the new-born Underground Built Heritage (UBH) class, lists the main characteristics of three different types of artefacts falling within this category: iceboxes, cellars, and traditional food production. For each group, several examples from all over the world are presented. After this overview, the paper turns to a case study of Italian production of cheese in caves and the general level of protection guaranteed by the current European and Italian legislation to the connection between given food specialities and the UBH used in their production. After introducing the general context, the article analyses the production of traditional Italian “cave cheeses” in detail, with particular reference to Taleggio, Fossa di Sogliano, Canestrato di Moliteno, Pallone di Gravina, and Grotte del Caglieron cheeses, in order to determine how and whether UBH is included in dedicated marketing strategies such as the choice of a product’s logo and the product’s branding and storytelling.