This map shows the network of tratturi used for transhumance. Believe it or not, it was created in 1959! Transhumance is often portrayed as a practice belonging to a distant past, but documents like this prove just how significant it was—and, to some extent, still is—even in more recent times.
Another little-known fact is that tratturi were not just simple paths. The main tratturi were five in total, each an impressive 111 meters wide—the equivalent of a 24-lane highway! These were vast infrastructures crossing Abruzzo, Molise, and Puglia, allowing millions of sheep to migrate every year.
This raises an interesting question: today, these three regions are connected by only one four-lane highway, so why, from the 1400s until the post-war period, did such an extensive road network exist solely for transhumance? It can’t just be a matter of folklore—behind these routes lies a rich and complex history of economy, culture, and identity.
In our documentary Le vie della lana, we will uncover all of this, explaining why these tratturi are much more than just a memory of the past. And if you’re curious, follow us on Facebook for updates and more stories about tratturi and transhumance!