Ever since Roman times, Arpino has been known as an important centre of wool production so that the church of Santa Maria of Civita was built on a pagan temple dedicated to Mercurio Lanario. Craftsmanship was organized within families, each of which had looms and spinning wheels.
With the Industrial Revolution of the eighteenth century this activity changed, the factories were built thanks to British and Dutch technicians, and the city became one of the main centres in Europe for production of woollen fabrics.
In 1744 Charles III of Bourbon was so proud of the achievements that he came to visit Arpino and the Arpinati factories, transferring to some of them the title of "Royal Wool Mill" and he started a protectionist policy. The visit of Charles III is also remembered on a plaque in the church of Santa Maria della Civita.
In 1850 in Arpino thirty-two woollen mills operated employing half of the 15,000 inhabitants of the city population.
The decline came with the unification of Italy when many industries were moved to the north and the mills began to close. The last one went out of business shortly after the Second World War.
The museum tells this story and displays antique equipment from the ancient Diodati woollen mill. The pieces of machinery are reconstructed to document all stages of production.
Machines on display are: a wool scourer, three carders, a yarn twister, a warping machine, four looms.
The original powders for dyeing fabrics are also on display. Fabric dyeing had been one of the strengths of Arpino industry that also housed a school for the teaching of dyeing techniques.
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