| The underground olive press in via Borgo, known as “trappitello del Duca”, is on the outskirts of Giurdignano. It was built in 1518, and remained in use until 1940.
The press, which is entirely carved out of the rock bed, can be accessed via a barrel vaulted stairway.
The first room, which is almost circular in shape, was for milling; indeed in the centre of the room you can see what is left of the tub on which the mill rotated (pulled by animals) grinding the pre-washed olives.
There are four alcoves in the walls, known as sciave, the storage spaces where olives were kept before milling.
The second room was for pressing the olive paste.
You can see some Calabrian style presses, made up of two large wooden screws mounted on stone pillars which had a heavy beam attached to them, this beam was called the pancone.
The beam, or pancone pressed down on the pile of fisculi, circular containers made out of plaited reed ropes, which were filled with the olive paste.
Corridors lead out of the room with more store rooms for olives off them.
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