AN EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE TO EXPLORE ANCONA, BETWEEN ANCIENT MARITIME TRADE AND ITS ROLE AS A PORT OF THE MIDDLE ADRIATIC.

A HANDS-ON WOAD DYEING WORKSHOP, WHERE YOU CAN EXPERIENCE FIRST-HAND THE CENTURIES-OLD HISTORY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP LINKED TO NATURAL COLORS.

AN IMMERSION INTO THE HISTORY OF THIS MARITIME REPUBLIC, WHICH, FROM THE PRODUCTION OF PURPLE IN ROMAN TIMES TO THE TRADE OF NATURAL COLORS IN THE MIDDLE AGES, HAS ALWAYS INTERWOVEN ART, CULTURE, AND COMMERCE

YOUR GUIDE

Massimo is an expert and passionate connoisseur of dye plants, a craftsman who has dedicated his life to rediscovering natural colors, particularly those derived from woad, the plant that produces blue.
His experience spans across: textiles, fashion, leather goods, wood paints, thermoplastic materials, and cosmetics.
He has also played a role in historical and agricultural research, collecting documents and launching projects to promote dye plants for the creation of cultural and productive districts that revive these ancient techniques.
His journey in the world of dye plants began through meeting two local historians who contributed to the revival of woad in Italy. Since then, Massimo has experimented and perfected ancient dyeing techniques.

PROGRAM

For those who want to explore, it begins with an unprecedented guided walk to discover the city of Ancona as a renowned Emporium of the Adriatic, a Maritime Republic with extraordinary autonomy, a crossroads of peoples, techniques, and artistic motifs.
You will learn how important the production of purple was for the Doric city in ancient times, follow its milestones, and, amidst anecdotes, you will move through the old town’s trade routes.
A journey into the history of the city and the surrounding region, following the thread of the production and exchange of these natural colors.