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Volterra, city of alabaster

Every corner of the city of Volterra carries evidence of alabaster craftsmanship, skills that have been handed down from father to son since Etruscan times.
The Etruscans used it for making cinerary urns, but in Volterra today you can feel the love people have for this stone, from the small craft shops in the historic centre, totally covered in white alabaster dust, to the numerous shops selling small and large masterpieces.
In the Alabaster History Museum you can get a full picture of the history and production of this stone which reached a peak towards the end of the 18th Century. The museum is set up in the rooms of an old convent dating from the year 1000 and has a precious collection of articles from the period between the end of the 18th Century and the first half of the 20th Century. It also has works on display of the most important artists of the schools of Volterra and Florence. The Bessi Ghebo-Vero company is one of the most highly esteemed in the city: they work with all types of alabaster, from white and transparent "scaglione" varieties, to the various qualities of highly variegated "bardiglio", and the magnificent alabaster agates which dissolve into the warm, translucent tones of amber. In the hands of these craftsmen it takes on the forms of vases of flowers, fruit and animals, cats and dogs in particular: but it is possible to create any object you want from alabaster, given that the company also works with their clients' ideas and drawings.
Another opportunity for discovering the magic of alabaster comes in a visit to the Alab'Arte workshop, where Giorgio e Roberto welcome groups of visitors and demonstrate how they produce their creations; or there is also the Rossi Camillo workshop which has been in existence since 1912.
Finally, not to be missed is Oasi's, a small shop situated in the centre of Volterra where you can find a variety of styles of objects, accessories and bijoux, created with a touch of transgression but holding on strongly to tradition.