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HISTORICAL HINTS ABOUT SPELEOLOGY IN FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA

Speleology, agreed as a branch of natural science has its roots in our region. It was born in Trieste, during the XVIII century, when the territory underwent a fast demographical increase.

In Trieste, since the proclamation of Free Port by Maria Teresa, begins a new period of prosperity that led it to the highest economical vertices of the Empire's, and brought the problems bound to the demographical increase. One of the most urgent is the necessity of water.

The sea and the Carso surround Trieste. Its morphology doesn't allow rivers to flow on its surface. There are rivers indeed, but with a scarce flow (as the stream Rosandra), or running on the surface until the soil is impermeable and then they sink underground, Like, for example the rivers Piuka and Reka.

During the XIX man thought that inside the plateau, there were numerous lakes or at least flew the river Timavo. Thus inspired the municipal commission, in 1828, to seek for water underground.

The speleological inclination of our region has indeed more aged roots. The charming world of caves had always numerous visitors; some of them left also written traces, as Kircher or Valvasor (XVII cent.). Even if they illustrated this world in a very fanciful way. The proteus was described as a small dragon. Only in 1768 Laurenti related it as belonging to the caves' flora.

The caves -at least the accessible ones- are visited, with touristical purposes, since the beginning of 1700. Corgnale cave was touristically supplied in 1707; the famous Postumia caves keep the tourists' signatures of the XIII and XIV cent. In Friuli S. Giovanni d'Antro is the most famous and visited cave, described first by Jacopo Valvassone from Maniago in 1565 , but already mentioned in the IX century. During the XIX cent. the interest increased and Gian Giacomo de Portis the minor of Cividale visited the grotto with many other prelates and wrote down his adventure.

Padriciano's cave, near Trieste, was supplied about in the early years of 1800, the guide an host from Trieste; Josef Eggenhöffner, led his paying guests visiting the wonders of the underground world. And it seems that the visits yielded a lot, considered he bought a carriage, filled it with stalagmites and stalactites, and wandered for the Empire's squares selling the vision of a fantastic world.

In 1828 Matteo Bilz began, by his own, to sound a grotto in the nearby of Orlek (Carso of Trieste) and individualized the peculiar characteristics which witness the presence underground water: exit of steam, rumours etc. unfortunately for many problems (money...) he had to give up. Other important results were given by Anton Fredrik Lindner, he during the period 1839/40 covered the whole Carso; from S. Canziano to the Timavo mouths. He plotted, drew sections, explored dolinæ and caves seeking for water or other phenomena. He made use of workmen the legendary "Grottenarbeiter", thanks to Luca Kral and Antonio Arich, in the 1841 a river was found, flowing inside Trebiciano's cave: the Timavo. But unfortunately Lindner died a bit later without any signs of recognitions for his work and his results. The grotto was successively studied and plotted in detail .Many people interested themselves in studies and projects, pushed by the possible exploitation of water, but nothing was realized for the high costs.

The 2nd half of '800 signs the start of the modern spelaeology ; the chance of exploiting the underground water faded, 'cause the municipality supplied with its own money, to the water supplying. But this new and "voluminous" knowledge of Carsic hypogeal phenomenous , remains and on the edge of this increasing enthusiasm, many people go on exploring and studying "in" the regional territory.

So, the first organized spelaeological association were born. 1st of all in 1883 the Comitato Grotte of Società degli Alpinisti Triestini ( SAT ) then Sezione del Litorale of the Società Alpina Austo-germanica (D.Ö.A.V.) . in 1884 was born the Club Touristi Triestini in which, ten years later a Cave Group formed itself. The last two mentioned were pro-Austria and for that; aided. The other one, named afterwards Società Alpina delle Giulie , was always nationalistic and therefore always boycotted.

The D.Ö.A.V. became owner of the S. Canziano grottoes and for about 10years dedicated itself exclusively to those one .It realized a series of supplied paths entirely hand carved. The C.T.T. bought the Grotta Gigante and opened it to the public in 1908. Meanwhile another society was born: Slovensko Planinsko Drustvo of Slovenian matrix. At the end of the century also in Friuli, formed itself the first organized association; in 1897 was founded in Udine the Circolo Speleologico Idrologico Friulano. Supported by the Società Alpina Friulana, it published its spelaeological reports on the magazine In alto then, in 1904 began publishing its magazine Mondo sotterraneo.

The end of the 1st world war marked the end of a period for the regional speleology. New carsic territories were acquired and the two regional schools - Udine and Trieste - collaborated and brought the regional spelaeology to the highest vertices of international speleology. Thus allowed to reach (1920) the bottom of the Bus de la Lum on the Cansiglio (-225m) and the record of depth (-425m) in the Bartarelli of Raspo in Istria

Unfortunately the Circolo Speleologico Idrologico Friulano (C.S.I.F.) underwent heavy losses : Umberto Micoli, Giuseppe Feruglio, Giovan Battista De Gasperi; untimely died during the war , equipment and the library. Thus doesn't allow a renewal of activity.

The Italian administration, support the renewal in Trieste, where supplies the S.A.G. with means and equipment, unties the two pro-Austria societies and creates a grotto's land office.

The result is the publication:"2000 caves", by Vittorio Bertarelli and Eugenio Boegan published in 1926 by Touring Club Milano. Between the two wars many other societies were born, e.g. XXX Ottobre (TS) in 1918. In 1924 Mondo Sotterraneo broke its publications off. In the first months of 1925 a villager in Villanova (UD); Pietro Negro, discovered the entrance of the Grotta Nuova di Villanova and with other villagers founded Gruppo Esploratori e Lavoratori grotte di Villanova. Today this grotto is one of the longest in Friuli and a touristic attraction. With the 2nd war a big part of the Carso was lost, but numerous societies were born and in 1949 the CSIF revived with the discover and exploration of Vigant.

Actually in the province of Udine other groups work, Associazione Naturalistica Friulana (Tarcento) , Circolo Speleo-sub Sandanielese "Tane dal Lôf" (San Daniele), Forum Julii (Cividale ) Gruppo Speleologico Valli del Natisone (Cividale) and Michele Gortani (Tolmezzo). These groups study prevalently on the mountain Canin, the Bernadia plateau, Alpi Giulie and Prealpi Carniche.

In Pordenone and its province one finds: Gruppo Speleologico Pradis, Gruppo Speleologico Sacile, Unione Speleologica Pordenonese, they work prevalently within their province.

In Gorizia and its province the 1st group was born with the task of recuperating the corpses after war: Gruppo Speleleologico Monfalconese dell'Associazione Nazionale del Fante (1948). Then in 1963 the group untied itself and a new one born: Gruppo Speleologico Monfalconese "Giovanni Spangar" Actually there are others groups: "Luigi Bertarelli" (Gorizia) Gruppo Grotte Talpe del Carso (Doberdò del Lago), Centro Ricerche Carsiche "Carlo Seppenhofer" (Gorizia), Antonio Federico Lindner (Fogliano-Redipuglia). Since the 1986 the Federazione Speleologica Isontina was founded to assemble the provincial groups.

In Trieste after war many other groups were born: CAT, GTS, Gruppo Grotte "Carlo Debeliak", the slovenian groups: JOSPT and Grmada. The explorations were extended in the whole region and on the mountain Canin and its plateau.

In 1985 the associations in Trieste and its province founded the Federazione Speleologica Triestina and in 1997 was founded the Federazione Spelelologica Regionale as a meeting point for the whole regional associations .Actually , over than 6000 are the explored and registered caves.

Until now the biggest caves of the region are: Complesso del Col delle Erbe depth about 880m and length about 20km, Complesso del Foran del Muss about 1000m depth and 15km length, both on mountain Canin and still to be completely explored.
More than 1000 are the spelaeologists organised in associations, many others are parts of voluntary services, or manage caves and grottoes for tourism, scientific research or didactic.
Spelaeological shelters are kept in good conditions as Rifugio Speleologico Seppenhofer (Tarcento) and mountain bivouacs as Modonutti-Savoia, Vianello-Davanzo-Picciola, Marussich (mountain Canin).
Besides the regional federation publishes the "Gazzetta dello speleologo" present on the Net, too.