Despite the cold and wind while we have been in Naples, almost every day has been really sunny, wonderful for photographs and also for two UK-based nomads, happy to lose their winter pallor. However, shots of views have not been the best due to an ever-present haze.
Sensing it was clearer today, we decided to head up to Castel Sant’Elmo, just above Museo Nazionale di San Martino, which we visited last week. Then, we climbed the steep hill, but today we took a funicular train (€1.10 one way. Where can you go for £1 in the UK? I suspect nowhere).
As we came out of the station, and were trying to follow the directions to Castel Sant’Elmo on Mark’s phone, a gentleman came up and spoke to us. “Inglese?” he asked, and turning to Mark, “You look Italiano, it’s a complement.” We put it down to the silver hair and sunglasses.
The gentleman, called Giovanni, then started telling us that he had a cameo factory, and we were welcome to take a look. It was hard to say no, but actually it was fascinating. Naples, he told us, is a centre for cameos made from shells. His factory was started by his grandfather, continued by his father and now he and his three brothers work there. (We saw the photographs of the different generations on the wall).
Any of three different shells are used for cameos, mother-of-pearl being the best. Part of a particular shell is chosen for the layers of colour and is cut out. The section is smoothed to make a flat area which can be worked on, and is then temporarily stuck to the end of a wooden stick with wax. A picture is drawn on the shell with pencil, and parts are cut away with special cutting tools. Giovanni told us he then hands his work to one of his brothers, ‘the jeweller’, to be made up into a piece of jewellery. After a quick glance at the prices, we said our thanks, and were on our way.
Castel Sant’Elmo is imposing and looks pretty impregnable. The first difficulty would be climbing that steep hill!
Tortoise Travel 