In Pratovecchio (Ar) the monastery of San Giovanni Evangelista of the Camaldolese nuns hides the great secret of the town. If you manage to enter, you will come to a room occupied by a sort of octagonal, roundish stone dome, more than two metres high, with several terracotta mouths on the walls. The Camaldolese had every monastery connected to a hospital for the poor and pilgrims since at least 1048, and evidently some of them specialized more than others in the art of pharmacy and primordial chemistry. A ‘dry stove’ alembic is preserved here, far larger and older than any other left or known, developed in the twelfth or thirteenth century; it was very innovative, as the quantity of ‘mouths’ ensured the simultaneous production of several preparations. The instrument was once located outdoors, and it is reasonable to think that it was even taller, as it had to rest on bricks so that it was easier to collect the ashes of the fire that was lit inside to make it work. This fascinating environment can be visited by ringing the monastery bell at the times indicated on the door.
