“La Spezieria di Diotaiuti” (Diotaiuti’s apothecary shop) is the reconstruction of an apothecary shop run by Diotaiuti in Imola (Bologna, Italy) in the half of the 14^th century. The reconstruction of the apothecary shop was realized starting from the study of the original books of accounts of Diotaiuti: the six volumes, kept in the local archive of the Hospital of Santa Maria della Scaletta and now preserved by the Biblioteca Comunale di Imola, contain registration of the years between 1356 and 1367 and permit to discover a great quantity and variety of wares sold in the shop. Diotaiuti actually didn’t sell only spices and medicines, but was famous in town also because of the glassware he produced and sold, both to common people and to the members of the Alidosi family, lords of the city in those years. Diotaiuti was also involved in beekeeping: he produced honey that was exported also in Florence and wax that was probably used to make candles, a very common product in the shop. In the apothecary there was also a small pawn shop activity and Diotaiuti, sometimes, organized funerals too.Thanks to a long research based on many sources, our journey “from words to objects” permitted us to have, for now, more than 120 objects in our set-up, mainly rebuilt by us or, in case it wasn’t possible, commissioned to specialized artisans.

The first set-up of Diotaiuti’s Apothecary took place in Imola, at the Biblioteca Comunale, the 7^th and 8^th of November 2015, during the “Baccanale 2015”, and featured the extraordinary exhibition of the original manuscript and some medieval and renaissance ceramics, kindly lent by le Musei Civici di Imola. During the event, there was also a conference about Diotaiuti’s books of accounts, with Miles Nerini, historian, Antonio Zambrini, herbalist, and Anna Attiliani, re-enactor, who introduced the reconstruction work made by Civitas Alidosiana.

For informations and contacts about Diotaiuti’s apothecary shop please e-mail at info[at]civitasalidosiana.org

We would like to thank:
Biblioteca Comunaledi Imola
Erboristeria Dott. Zambrini
Pelliconi Erboristeria e Apicoltura
StilLegno Imola
Kourgane – Riproduzione di vetri storici
Ptička Ceramiche

The Photo Galleries

Foto di Camillo Balossini
Foto di Monia Boscolo
Foto di Civitas Alidosiana
Foto di Massimo Golfieri