New studies for the knowledge of the vernacular characters of the ancient water mills in central Sicily

In the centre of Sicily, hidden in a rural landscape that has changed significantly in the last decades, remains the traces of an old economic and productive reality: that of traditional water mills. Even if, often in precarious conservation conditions, these vestiges show an unsuspected resilience. They embody tangible and intangible values worthy of being known, protected, valued, and shared. In this sense, the research that this paper introduces aims to identify and re-read the numerous structures still existing. The purpose is to find effective strategies to safeguard and promote this important vernacular heritage: a silent guardian of uses and customs, traditional methodologies, materials and building systems. All elements that show a wise use of native resources and are the result of functional choices aimed at optimizing production. The paper presents the first results of the study, namely the cataloguing activity carried out in the Gela River valley. The methodology followed relies on innovative systems for online inventory and sharing of the identified properties. The ultimate goal is to create a digital infrastructure capable of also improving the sustainable use of assets scattered throughout the territory.