ABSTRACT
This essay attempts to offer a contribution on earthquake-resistant techniques employed in Sicily between the 18th and 19th centuries through a comparative study of construction practices after three earthquakes: that of 1726 in Palermo, that of 1818 in the Etna area, and that of 1823 in the northwestern part of the island. Research is based on a cross study of iconographic and bibliographic sources (manuscripts, printed works by coeval authors, and treatises), and new archival documents, which provide general views of damage to towns hit by earthquakes, as well as many expert analyses of individual architectures. An analysis of certain case studies and the systematic study of sources, integrated with inspection of the sites, will make it possible to analyse the technologies applied to consolidate and restore buildings. The paper also shows persistence and innovations, that contribute to outlining the development of an earthquake-resistant technical culture.
