Piazza Armerina-History of Villa Romana del Casale

Piazza Armerina is a small town in central Sicily. This town attracts a lot of tourists, but it is not the town they come to see. People from all over the world come to Piazza Armerina to see Villa Romana del Casale, a Roman villa about 10 miles outside the city that contains the richest, largest and most complex collection of Roman mosaics in the world.

While no one is really sure who originally owed the villa, it is thought it may have belonged to the tetrarch Marcus Aurelius Maximianius. The mosaics are believed to have been brought from Africa and the craftsmanship that of North African slaves. The art is absolutely beautiful and one can only imagine how much work went into each of these pictures. The mosaics were probably made in the 4th century AD, a time when the North African provinces were important area in the economic and artistic world. The many colored mosaics were specialties of the North African artists. The mosaics at the villa are most definitely of African origin and similar ones have been found in Carthage and other areas in North Africa. Many of the motives of the mosaics are also African in nature, especially the hunting scenes. A large part of the tesserae--the small colored stones--used in the mosaics are in colors not found locally.

There have been debates over whether the mosaics were made at the same time or over a long period of time, or if they are the work of one or several groups of mosaicists. While it is probably true they were made by several groups due to the number, most likely they were made in a relatively short period. Several of the motifs appear frequently in all parts of the villa and are obviously the work of one group of artists. This makes it appear that all the major parts of the villa were done in a short period of time. It is also unlikely the owner was willing to wait long periods of time to get the work done.

There is little known as to the methods used by the artists. many of the motifs in the villa appear in other areas of Sicily, so it is thought there were catalogs or worksheets of standard motifs so they could produce them over again. It is doubted that there was centralized production of the mosaic fragments since they would be fragile and would break during transportation. Because of this it would have been easier the move the workmen. More than likely the entire mosaic was made at the site, especially since it had to be fitted to the space available and well known motifs were used for some parts and custom motifs were made for others.

There was obviously a division between the artists, the masters being used for the overall work. They may have drawn the composition on the ground and the skilled tessellarii--the tessarae layers--would make the central or picture parts, the less skilled apprentices would make the standard motifs, and the novices would do the fill in areas. There is also evidence the workers were used to the limit, as in some areas there are non-standard motifs that were probably drawn by the skilled artists, but the workmanship is poor. This may be because the more skilled artists were busy in the more important rooms of the villa and the owner was forced to use the less skilled workers to do some of the other work.

Some of the rooms with interesting motifs include the Corridor of the Great Hunt which has hunting scenes from Africa, an allegory of India or Arabia and the embarkation of the animals for transport to the Colosseum in Rome; the Triclinium with magnificent mosaics with mythological motives related to the Labours of Hercules, showing the stricken giants, the carnage after the Twelve Labours of Hercules and Hercules' coronation and introduction in Olympus; the smaller private apartments includes a vestibule with a mosaic of Ulysses and Polyphemus, the cubicle with the erotic mosaic, which is actually a bedroom, and the cubicle of fruits; the larger apartments include the Atrium of the Fishing Cupids, the Vestibule of Eros and Pan, the Cubicle of Children Hunting, the Hall of Arion and the Vestibule of Small Circus; In the public rooms are the Hall of Orpheus with mosaics of birds and wildlife and the famous Room With the Girls in Bikinis; the thermal baths is the frigidarium, or cold baths, with scenes of fishing cupids, the palestra, or gym, with the horse races at the Circus Maximus, and the entrance to the baths with a family picture of the domina with children and slaves; the guest rooms include a Room of the Dance with dancing women, the Room of the Fishing Cupids, the Room of the Little hunt, which includes hunting scenes and an offering to Diana; and finally the entrance area with a mosaic of the host welcoming the guests.

While the mosaics are the major attraction of the villa today, when it was first built there were many other areas of interest. Marble was used throughout the villa. Many of the walls were covered with marble veneer, and the floor in the Great Basilica was an intricate inlay work of many colors of marble. Many of the columns and statues in the villa were of marble. The marble came from nearly all the major quarries in the empire, and nearly all types of marble were used.

Columns were used throughout the villa, some for decorative purposes and others for structural purposes. There were also many statues throughout the villa, and fragments of them have been found during the excavations. There may have been a statue of Venus in the entrance to the baths from the atrium; a statue of a cherub holding a dove in the peristyle; a statue of Apollo in the Room of Orpheus, and a large statue, possibly of the emperor, in the Great Basilica. Many of the rooms have niches or pedestals for statues.

Many of the walls were covered with painting. Remains of these painting can be seen in the Room of the Fishing Cupids, and Cubicle With Erotic Mosaic. Traces of frescoes can be found in every room, and while they were as colorful and frequent as the mosaics there is little left of them.

The villa was constructed on the remains of an older villa in the first quarter of the fourth century AD, probably as the center of a large latifundium covering the entire surrounding area. It is not known how long the villa kept this role. It may have been for 150 years or less, but it remained inhabited and a village grew around it. The village was named Platia, which is derived from the word palatium (palace). The villa may have been destroyed during the time of the Vandals and Visigoths, but the buildings remained partially in use during the Byzantine and Arab period. In the 12th century a landslide covered the villa and it was abandoned, the remaining inhabitants moving to the current location of Piazza Armerina.

Even though some of the tallest parts of the villa have always been above ground, the existence of the villa were almost entirely forgotten and the area was used for cultivation. Early in the 19th century pieces of mosaics and some columns were found. Some excavations were carried out later in that century, but the first serious excavations were carried out by Paolo Orsi in 1929, and then from 1935-1939 by Giuseppe Cultrera. The most recent major excavations were done from 1950-1960 by Gino Vinicio Gentili, after which a cover was built over the entire villa to protect it. A few minor excavations were done in the 1970s by Andrea Carandini.

In the late ages most of Sicily was partitioned into huge agricultural estates called "latifundia" (singular "latifundium"). The size of the villa and the amount and quality of its artwork indicate it was probably the center of one of these latifundium, and the owner was probably a member of the sentorial class, maybe even the imperial family--the absolute upper class of the Roman Empire.

It is believed the villa served several purposes. Some of the rooms in the villa were obviously residential, others were used for official purposes and the purpose of many of the rooms has yet to be determined. It is also obvious the unknown rooms were not built for commercial or production reasons. It probably had been the permanent or semi-permanent residence of the owner. It would have been where the owner, in his role as patron, received his local clients, and would have also functioned as the administrative center of the latifundium. As of today only the manorial portions of the villa have been excavated. The ancillary structures--those for housing the slaves, the workshops, stables and so forth, have not yet been located.

The villa was a single story building, centered on the peristyle (the central open span in a Roman house). All of the main public and private rooms were arranged around this peristyle. Entrance to the peristyle is via the atrium from the west, with thermal baths in the northwest. On the north were service rooms and guest rooms, and on the east were private apartments and a huge basilica (central hall in the villa). On the south are rooms of unknown purpose. To the south, somewhat detached and almost as an afterthought, is a separate area containing the elliptical peristyle (a secondary peristyle for invited guests), service rooms and a large triclinium (dining room which contains Herculean mosaics).

The overall plan of the villa was dictated by several factors--older constructions on the site, the slight slope on which it was built, and the passage of the sun and the evening winds. The higher ground to the east is occupied by the Great Basilica, the private apartments and the Corridor o the Great Hunt, where can be found outstanding mosaics with magnificent scenes of hunts for live animals. In the middle ground by the peristyle are the guest rooms, the Elliptical Peristyle and the triclinium, while the lower ground to the west contains the thermal baths. These baths are heated by hot air chambers beneath them, and the floor of the baths are held above these chambers by a pile of bricks. There is a picture of the baths in the slide show below.

The entire villa is somewhat complex and organized along three major axes. The primary axis is a slightly bent line that passes from the atrium, tablinum (room for welcoming guests), peristyle and the great basilica which co-insides with the path visitors would take. The thermal baths and the triculinium are centered on separate axes. In spite of the different orientations of the various parts of the villa, they all form a single structure, built simultaneously and there is no indication the villa was constructed in several stages, although it is thought it took approximately 50 years to build.

When one visits the site today it appears to be housed in a huge greenhouse. This structure was built to protect it from the elements, but unfortunately the greenhouse effect may be causing harm to the mosaics. Visitors walk on wooden scaffolds to also protect the art. The pictures vary, depending on where they are. In the Corridor of the Great Hunt are mosaics of various animals, some of which are shown below. Walking on the scaffolds actually gives a better view of the mosaics than viewing them from floor level. This does limit access because the scaffolds are not in all rooms, and it is sometimes hard to get good pictures of some of the mosaics. There is also the problem of dust covering the mosaics, and even though they are periodically cleaned the dust covers the bright colors causing them to look pale and faded. The cover built over the villa allows the sun in through narrow openings and this also causes problems when taking pictures.

In the time the villa was in use, the common visitor, usually male, would arrive at the entrance, viewing the three way arch of triumph with fountains between the arches and frescoes on the walls. These would be testimony to the military might of the proprietor of the villa. The visitor would then enter the atrium with yet another fountain and a shady colonnade on tow sides. To the left was the passage to the latrine in case the visitor needed to use the facilities. To the right was the tablinum (room for welcoming guests), which was also the entrance to the peristyle, or central open space in the villa. Less important visitors would be allowed no further than the atrium.

The visitor would be greeted symbolically in the tablinum by mosaics of the hosts offering olive branches before entering the peristyle. He would then wait in the shade of the colonnade until he could be received in the great basilica. There was a more luxurious internal latrine here in case once again it was needed. Many visitors would be allowed no further than this. The most important visitors would be allowed to climb the few steps to the Corridor of the Great Hunt, and once again he would have to wait. He would view amazing mosaics of odd animals that could be found on various estates of the patron. If the visitor was one of the utmost importance he may be invited into the Great Basilica to finally meet the master of the house. The rest of the villa was probably off limits to all but a select few who were mostly peers of the owner. They may be invited to use the thermal baths, which was an occasion for socialising for the Romans. They may also be invited to have dinner and conversation with the master in the elliptical peristyle and the triclinium.

Most of the rooms in the villa had an actual purpose that was obvious. The purpose of the rooms could be determined from their position in the villa and from the way the room was decorated. The purpose of the thermal baths, various latrines and the areas intended for the public--the entrance, atrium, tablinum, peristyle and great basilica--were easily recognized. The elliptical peristyle and the triclinium were private or semi-private and were intended for relaxing and dining.

Some of the guest rooms were probably used for service rooms and others were intended for guests or for the proprietor and his family. Some of these rooms have simple geometric or poorly laid mosaics indicating a less important purpose. Other rooms have elaborate mosaics, indicating a more important purpose. These include the Room of the Dance, the Room of the Fishing Cupids, and the Room of the Little Hunt.

The private apartments are open to several interpretations. The larger southern apartment has a central hall--The Hall of Arion--that is flanked by smaller rooms with mosaics of children playing or working, and was thought to be the cubicle of mothers and children, while the northern apartment has a cubicle with erotic scenes and was taken to be the quarters of the pater familias. This theory has been contradicted by the fact that the highest ranking member of the family would probably not have the smaller and less elaborately decorated rooms, while the children would have the more comfortable sleeping quarters. It makes much more sense to think of the areas as separate apartments for two couples of unequal social status. There are some parallels in the rooms that also indicate this is probably true. Each apartment have two cubicles, one with a square apse and one with a round apse, possibly intended for the male and female respectively, with a common entrance. In the larger apartment the Hall of Arion may have been a library.

The Hall of Orpheus is yet another room with an unclear purpose. It has been compared to the central hall in the larger apartment, but could also be compared to the Great Basilica because it too has an apse. If the villa had been inhabited by two families of unequal standing, each would have had his own areas for the reception of guests and clients.

As stated earlier, there is really no definite information as to who owned the villa. A very early travel guide names the third mansio, or station for resting and changing horses on the Catania-Agregento road as Philosophiana, which was located about 45 Roman mikes from Agrigento. This is in the area of the villa. About 10 miles to the south of the villa is the location of Sofiana, where Roman remains are associated with the latifundium Philosophiana. Sofiana is the most likely candidate for the mansio on the main Roman road. The stations were usually named for the latifundium on whose territory they were located, so the latifundium of the villa was probably named Philosophiana.

There are several theories as to who was the first owner of the villa. Some believed it belonged to the Roman Emperor Maximianus Herculius, due to the images of ivy leaves in many of the mosaics, a decorative element often associated with him. Others feel the villa may have belonged to Maxentius, the son of the Emperor Maximianus Herculius, or to Claudius Mamertinus, who was prefect of Illyricum, Italy and Africa under Julian the Apostate.

There are also elements in the villa of both the military and civilian worlds. The entrance has all the characteristics of a triumphal arch and remains of military insignia can be found on the walls beside the entrance arches. On the other side, the villa is obviously civilian and there are references to literature and poetry in the mosaics, leading people to believe the owner was an accomplished intellectual. At the time the villa was built military and civilian careers had been separated for decades. No one could have both military and civilian ties, with one exception--C. Ceionius Rufius Volusiano, who had been Prefect of the City of Rome--a civilian responsibility--and consul under both Maxentius and Constantine I, but he had also been prefect of the praetorian guard under Maxentius--a military post. He had suppressed a rebellion in Africa where he also ahd huge estates. His son, Ceionius Rufius Albinus, was consul in 335 and Prefect of the CIty. Albinus was also a renowned writes of logic, geometry, history and poetry. By tradition the honorary crown of a poet was made of ivy, which would explain the use of ivy in many of the mosaics, and in the only surviving official inscription to him he is given the title philosophus, just as the latifundium. This could also explain the two private apartments in the villa and the two separate halls for receiving clients, one being smaller than the other.

All of these theories are only supported by circumstantial evidence. In actuality it is not known who owned the villa, and it will probably never be known unless there is some evidence found in future excavations. What we do know is the owner was wealthy and powerful, probably a member of the senatorial class or imperial family, he had property in Africa, he made money from the capture of wild animals for the venationes (animal hunts) in the Colosseum and elsewhere, he was fond of hunting, he was a lover and patron of music and poetry, he used ivy leaves as a personal or family symbol, he was almost certainly pagan, and finally, he supported the factio prasina (green team) in the races in the Circus Maximus.

Pesky

Mike and I have had pets almost from the beginning of our marriage. This is our first cat, Pesky. When we arrived in Sicily, one of the corpsmen at the dispensary, Glen Hickman, owned Pesky. Glen and Pesky did not get along well. Pesky would terrorize Glen and in return Glen would retaliate on Pesky. Glen felt the reason they didn't get along was because Glen was gone so much and when he was home Pesky just wanted attention. One day when we were talking Glen said he felt he should give Pesky to someone who could spend more time with him. At the time we were still living in the Total Motel, but we said we would take Pesky once we moved into our apartment and Glen agreed. One night after we moved into our apartment Glen and his roommate, George, another corpsman, were to bring Pesky to our apartment. Glen and George came and Glen was fit to be tied. When he went to find Pesky to bring him to me (Mike had duty that night) he could not find the cat. He looked all over the apartment and called and called the cat, but could not find him. Glen gave up, and they came to the house to tell me Pesky had apparently gotten out of the apartment and run away. I was disappointed. Well, a couple hours later, after Glen and George went home, my door bell rang. Here was Glen and George back with Pesky. He hadn't run away after all--he had been hiding under the washing machine! I will post pictures of Pesky from time to time. Here you can see, he enjoyed playing with yarn. You had to be careful if you left a drawer open anywhere--Pesky felt it was left open just for him to make a new bed in. Pesky would be sleeping somewhere, usually under a bed on in a corner somewhere and you would not be able to find him. If you got the Frisky's box and shook it he would come running. Once we had left a box of Frisky's on top of a cabinet and he got on top the cabinet, knocked the box off, and then chewed a hole in the box to get at the Friskys. He was not a dumb cat.
Pesky also had a ritual every night. As Mike and I would prepare to go to bed, Pesky would run down the hall to the bedroom and get behind the door. As Mike walked into the room Pesky would jump out from behind the door and slap Mike with his paw, then run under the bed. As Mike would get into bed Pesky would jump from under the bed and smack Mike again. This was a nightly thing without fail. On more than one occasion I would call Mike for dinner and he would yell for me to get my cat. Pesky would jump up and cling to the door frame with one paw and slap at Mike with the other to keep him from getting out of the living room.
Pesky also liked sleeping in the bidet. All homes in Sicily had bidets. Pesky felt it was an open area and just for him to sleep in. When you went to take a bath Pesky went with you and slept in the bidet. He would also climb up under the spread and blankes on the bed after you made it. You'd walk in the room and there would be a big lump in the middle of the bed--there was Pesky! I really think the reason he liked the bidet was because it was cool. Remember there was no air conditioning, and in the summer it was really hot--a very dry hot, like a furnace. The marble floors and the porceline of the bidet were cool and that's where he would lay.

Mt. Etna Lava FLows

Earlier when I talked about Mt. Etna, I told of eruptions the mountain had had over the years. In 1971 there was a rather severe eruption, and when we got to Sicily in 1973 we went to sites where you could still see the flows. Below are some pictures of these sites. This first picture shows how the lava came rignt next to a house but did not destroy the house. All of these sites were still hot in 1973. This house was in the town of Fornazzo. Here you can see the flows as they went down a mountainside. If I remember correctly, the only things destroyed in this eruption were some vinyards and part of one house.

This is another picture of the lava as it flowed down the mountainside. It seemed they had "breaks" for the lava flows, as we have firebreaks in our forests. This lava had to flow for some time. Lava is extremely hot, molten rock, and very thick. It really does not travel really fast, and when you see it at night it glows. As dangerous as it is it is also beautiful at night. We were in Sicily when there was a small eruption of Mt. Etna and saw the lava as it went up in the air and came back down, just as you see on specials on television. Frequently while we were there you would feel minor tremors of the earth, but there was never anything major while we were in Sicily.

The Capuchin Catacombs, Palermo, Sicily

This post people will find either extremely interesting or extremely gruesome and morbid, or maybe a little of both. I must say when we visited these catacombs I was absolutely amazed by them. You must take into consideration that the Italians and Sicilians treat death much differently than we do. When someone dies, family members must wear black for various lengths of time, depending on how they are related. For instance, a woman whose husband dies will wear black for the rest of her life. This includes a black dress or skirt and blouse, black shoes, black stockings, and a black scarf on her head. Funerals are huge gatherings, usually done either the same day or the day after death, especially in summer months. I don't know if this still holds true, but when we were in Sicily there was no such thing as embalming, and with the heat as opressive as it was in summer bodies did not keep well. Mourners walked behind the hearse to the cemetery, following the priest, who prayed the entire way. In Sicily, since it is an island, bodies were not buried underground, but in vaults and mausoleums. These were very elaborate and people saved all their lives to build these huge mausoleums for entire families. Pictures were placed on the fronts of the vaults and mausoleums of the deceased.

We visited the Capuchin Catacombs in late 1973. One of the corpsmen at the dispensary had told us of them, so one weekend a group of us traveling in convoy visited the site. The catacombs date back to 1599 when local priests mummified a holy monk because they wanted to be able to see him when they prayed to him. Eventually the local inhabitants of Palermo wanted their relatives to be remembered in the same way. It didn't take long before there were hundreds of corpses. Some people wrote wills which went so far as to dictate in what clothes they were to be dressed, or to have their clothes changed over a period of time. There are also many coffins in the catacombs, some with the sides cut out so the deceased could be seen. Families would go to the catacombs and hold the hands of their deceased loved ones as they prayed for them. Children were sometimes posed, stood or sat together in chairs.

Many of the corpses have lost their flesh and are only skeletons, but others still have mummified flesh, hair and even eyes. All are dressed in clothing from the tme period in which they died. Colonel Enea DiGiuliano is in the catacombs still wearing his French Bourbon uniform from the 1800's. Some of the corpses appear to be screaming, but this is due to distortion of time. Some are missing body parts which have fallen off over time.

One method used to embalm bodies was to dip them in arsenic or lime. This method was used often during epidemics. Another method of embalming was by dehydration. Bodies were placed in cells, called strainers, along the passageways of the catacombs. The bodies were dried in these cells for about eight months, then taken out and washed in vinegar before exposing to air. They were then dressed and placed in niches, coffins or on the walls, depending on the instructions of the deceased or their relatives.

Monks are buried in the clothing they wore. Sometimes ropes can be seen hanging from their necks. The ropes were worn in life for penance and they continued to wear them in death. The first monk buried there is Borther Silvestro of Gubbio, who was placed there in 1599, and the last monk, Brother Riccardo of Palermo, was placed there in 1871.

The various halls are divided into nine categories: Men, Women, Children, Virgins, Priests, Monks, Professors and Professionals. The Professionals Hall contains writers, lawyers, priests and at least one American. In the Professors section are professors, dotors, lawyers, painters, officers and soldiers of the Bourbon and Italian Army. Included in this hall is the painter Velasquez, sculptors Filippo Pennino and Lorenzo Marabitti and surgeon Salvatore Manzella.

The poem "The Sepulchres" was inspired by a visit on November 2, 1777 by the author, Ippolito Pindemonte, and because of this the Mayor of Palermo dedicated the street to him which runs from Corso Calatafima to the convent and the catacombs.

Some of the Inhabitants of the Catacombs

This is the last body placed in the catacombs. Her name is Rosalia Lombardo and she died in about 1920 when she was about 2 years old. She was embalmed by a Professor Alfredo Salfia. The method he used is not known, other than it consisted only of injected chemicals. Dr. Salfia died without ever disclosing how it was done.

This is Brother Silvestro of Gubbio, the first body placed in the catacombs. He was interred in 1599. This is a picture of the Women's hall.
These are some of the priests. Notice they are wearing Priest Clothing.

Thus is the body of Giovanni Paterniti, American Vice Consul, who died in 1911. This is the plaque over the body of Giovanni Paterniti.

Roman Amphitheater in Syracusa, Sicily

These pictures are from the Roman Amphitheater in Syracusa, Sicily. The amphitheater was built in the 2nd Century AD. It was used for gladiator battles and horse races. Roman punters used to park their chariots between the amphitieater and Viale Paolo Orsi. The Spainards, who did not have an interest in architecture pretty much destroyed the site in the 16th Century by using it as a quarry to build the city walls of Ortegia. The amphitheater was carved out of limestone rock. The tunnel in the picture is where the beasts would enter the ring.

There are chairs set up in this picture because when we were there they used to use this amphitheater for plays and concerts. Supposedly the area in the center was used to stage sea battles, but it seems rather small to me for something like that.
This picture shows the name of the person who owned and sat in this seat in the Roman Amphitheater to watch the gladiators. Isn't it awesome to think you were able to touch the same stone that someone touched centuries before?

This is a closer view of the area in the middle. According to what I read recently on the Internet this amphitheater has been allowed to become overgrown with weeds and flowers. In the same area is a Greek Amphitheater and that seems to be the bigger tourist attraction.






This cave is known as the Ear of Dionysius. This is an artificial cave carved out of the Termenites hill in Syracusa, Sicily. It's name comes from its similarity in shape to a human ear. It was most likely formed out of an old limestone quarry. According to information we got when we were there, it is 23 meters high and extends 65 meters into the cliff. Horizontally it bends in an "S" shape; vertically it is tapered at the top like a teardrop. Because of the shape it has extraordinary acoustics, making even small sounds resonate throughout the cave. The name was coined in 1586 by painter Caravaggio, and refers to tyrant Dionysius I of Syracuse. According to legend, possibly created by Caravaggio, Dionysius used the cave as a prison for political disidents. He would sit in the small opening at the top of the "ear" and by means of the perfect acoustics eavesdrop on the plans and secrets of the prisoners. Another, more gruesome legend claims Dionysius I carved the cave in this shape so that it would amplify the screams of the prisoners as they were being tortured in it.

From Our Balcony In Belpasso

These pictures were taken from our balconies in Belpasso. On clear days, which most days were, you could see for miles. I never tired of looking at these views. On many days I would sit on the balcony and read. We had a beautiful apartment and this gorgeous scenery all for less than $100.00 a month. I'd love to know what this apartment would cost now.

Mt. Etna

The picture on the right is a view of Mt. Etna from our room at the Total Motel. I was in awe of Mt. Etna. It is the largest volcano in Europe at 10, 924 feet. It's height changes due to eruptions, and this height is 69 feet lower than it was in 1981. Mt. Etna is the higest mountain in Italy, south of the Alps, and covers 460 square miles. It is one of the most active volcanos in the world. The fertile soils of Mt. Etna support many vinyards and orchards. Volcanic activity in Mt. Etna began a half a million years ago. There was an eruption in 1971 that destroyed the Etna Observatory and the first generation Etna Cable Cars. It threatened a small village but we were told the people of the village went to the town priest and asked him to bring the Madonna out of the church so they could pray to her to keep them safe. Just before the lava flows got to the village they stopped. When we got to Sicily in 1973 we went to the site of some of the lava flows. The lava was still hot, and we found rocks with melted Coke bottles on them.


This picture was taken from the Autostrada.

This is a picture taken from our balcony in Belpasso of Mt. Etna in 1974. If you look to the left of the picture you will see another stream of smoke. Mt. Etna was erupting at this time, and blew a new fissure.


This is anoher picture taken from our balcony after a snow fall. When we looked out our kitchen door this is what we saw. What a beautiful view!

Our First Duty Station

As I said earlier, Mike and I were married on May 21, 1972. We were married in Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Glen Burnie, Maryland. In picking our date, we looked at the Elks Lodge schedule to find a date the lodge was open to have our reception, and the only day open in May was the 21st, which was a Sunday. Now, in the Catholic Church, getting married on a Sunday at that time was totally unheard of. When we talked to the priest he asked why we picked that day, adn we told him because the Lodge was open. Since we did not want a Mass, just a ceremony, Fr. Kelly agreed, but admonished us that the NEXT time we should choose a date the church was open before we chose our reception site.

We were married on Sunday and the following Friday Mike had to report to Portsmouth, Virginia. We did not have a honeymoon, but a friend loaned us her apartment for a few days before we left for Virginia. After nine months in Virginia, Mike received orders to the Branch Dispensary, Naval Air Facility, Sigonella, Sicily, and in April 1973 we arrived in Catania, Sicily.

Sicily is an island, part of Italy, at the tip of the "boot" of Italy. It covers the largest surface area of all regions of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Cicero, considered one of Rome's greatest orators, described the city of Syracusa on the island of Sicily and "the greatest and most beautiful city of all Ancient Greece." Sicily is today a region of Italy, but was once its own country known as the Kingdom of Sicily and was ruled from Palermo. Sicily has a long history, and has usually been controlled by greater powers, including those of the Roman, Vandal, Byzantine, Islamic, Hohenstaufen, Catalan, Spanish and Greek cultures. Sicily gets its name from one of its original tribes, the Seculi, or Sicels, who supposedly arrived from the Iberian Peninsula. Historical evidence in the form of cave drawings by this tribe have been discovered dating from the end of the Pleistacene Epoch, around 8,000 BC. Through the centuries the other cultures have fought for and gained power over this island.

The economy is based mainly on agriculture, especially lemon and orange orchards, vineyards and olives. The fertile volcanic soil allows for excellent growing conditions. When we were in Sicily there were very few department type stores. You went to a different store for everything you bought. There were bread stores, vegetable stores, meat stores, cheese stores, etc. While breads, vegetables and cheeses were wonderful when bought on the economy, buying meats was another story. Many of the meat stores had no refrigeration, and meats sat on the counters. Even in individual homes freezers and refrigerators had limited space, and the Sicilians bought their food daily. SOme things were only available at certain times--you could only get pork sausage in the fall when it was time to kill hogs. Neighbors of ours had huge pigs in their back yards, and it was customary to see herders taking their goats and sheep through the town in the morning to the pastures outside of town to graze.

Sicilians are a very proud people. They are proud of their island, their identity and their culture, and are much more likely to describe themselves as Sicilians rather than Italians. The associate most often with the Greeks, whose culture is widely seen throughout the island, and genetically the Sicilians are most close to the Greeks.

Sicily has been nicknamed "God's Kitchen" because of the variety of cuisines and wines available there. Tastes are rich but affordable to the general population and implement fresh fruits, vegetables and seafood. They are also famous for the rich, sweet dishes there including ice cream and pastries, including Cannoli. Pasta, rice and cheese are also widely used in the Sicilian diet. When we first went to Sicily we had to stay in a hotel while we looked for an apartment and waited for our household goods. We stayed in the Total Motel, which had its own restaurant. When you went for supper it was usually a two to three hour affair. Meals were not served as they are in the United States. First you got antipasta--something like salami, cheese and olives. Next you ordered a pasta dish, and then your main entree. If you wanted vegetables they were separate, and the Sicilians thoguth it was funny that the Americans ordered Coke with their meals. Don;t forget--no refrigeration, so no ice, so your Coke was warm. Veal was a prominent meat, and beef was seldom served as it was extremely expensive in Sicily. Desserts were fabulous--one that we used to love was a huge brandy sniffer with a large amount of ice cream and wonderful fresh fruit. It was to die for. We also used to like Veal Valdostana--a fired veal cutlet with ham and cheese on it. Pasta was out of this world, and pizzas were individual. When you went to the Sicilian "Pizza Parlor" each person was served their own pizza, about the size of a large dinner plate, and all the pizzas were baked on the floor of a wood burning oven.

Arts were a large part of Sicily's heritage. Many poets, writers, philosophers, architects and painters were from Sicily. Archimedes, the greatest mathimatician, was from Syracusa. Terra Cotta ceramics were available everywhere. Sicilian carts--what we would call donkey carts--brightly painted with Italian scenes were everywhere. Puppet theaters and wooden marionettes were seen in the streets, especially when it was festival time. If you have ever seen the movie "The Godfather" in one scene they are having a festival and they have a puppet theater there. Festivals were frequent events. Each small town and city had a patron saint, and on the saints feast day there would be a festival with food booths in the streets and fireworks all day long and late into the night. Palermo has the largest opera hose in Italy, and the third largest in Europe.

The weather is Sicily varied according to where you were. We lived in the city of Belpasso for the first two years were were there. Belpasso was about a third of the way up Mt. Etna. In the summer the temperatures would reach 120 degrees, but you could take a 30 minute ride farther up "the hill" and need a sweater. In the winter, if it was raining in Belpasso that same 30 minute ride would put you in snow. In the summer you would also experience sirocco--an oppressive, hot dusty wind that originated in the Sahara Desert. It brought red dust from the Sahara, and the winds could reach hurricane strength. In August most Italians take vacation--I think it is called Ferrogosto. For about two weeks everything stops. One year our car broke down at this time. We left it on the side of the road and did contact a garage. We were told they were on vacation, but they would fix it when they came back. The next day our car was gone and we were sure it had been stolen. We were wrong. Even though they would not fix it for about two weeks, they took the car to the garage and locked it in so it wouldn't be stolen.

Sicilians days were much different than ours also. Even the school children would start their day very early, but then about one o'clock in the afternoon everything would close for about three hours. ABout four o'clock stores would reopen for a few hours, and children would go back to school for an hours or sor. Children even went to school for a half day on Saturday, and all of the children wore uniforms.

For the first two years we lived "on the economy" in an apartment in Belpasso. When you rented an apartment, you got exactly that--no appliances, no light fixtures, no medicine cabinet, no closets, just fours walls, a floor and a ceiling. Our apartment had a huge living/dining room, two bedrooms, a large kitchen and a bathroom. The floors were marble. We had a balcony that went entirely around the apartment, and on the back balcony was another "room" were you put your washer. Dryers were unheard of and you strung clotheslines along the balcony. We also had an entry way that was the size of a small room ans closed your door off from the rest of the house. For all this we paind less than $100.00 a month. Our landlord was Senor Cattanatzo. We lived in our apartment about a month with no electricity. It was a new apartment, and nothing is done in a hurry, including turning on the electricity. Most people did not have telephones, and when you contracted for one it took months to get it. If you were a physician you could get a phone in a few days, but because you were a professional and considered to be rich you paid several times the usual price for it.

History was everywhere in Sicily, and not just a couple hundred years, but centuries of history. Most of the historical sites were free to visit and nearly every weekend a group of people from the dispensary went somewhere. Syracusa, Palermo, Agrigento, Messina, Caltigerone, Catania were only a few of the names. Greek and Roman ruins, churches, catacombs, and much more. In an hour you could fly to Rome and see awesome sights--the Vatican and its museums, the Coleseum, the Forum and Trevi Fountain--all places that were centuries old and extremely humbling. Some day I'm going back. As I've gone through the albums I scanned so far I realize I've forgotten so much, but it all came back so quickly. Of all the duty stations we had, Sicily was the best. I don't think we understood at the time how lucky we were, or appreciated the things we saw.

I'm going to end this here, and am going to post some pictures in a new post. I hope you enjoy my memories. As I think of other stories I will relate them. The more pictures I see the more I remember. Stay tuned!

Travel Back In Time With Me

When I started this blog I wasn't sure what I would put on it. I found things to post based on holidays and personal events. I am sort of at a stand still as to what to post next, so I started thinking. Now this could be dangerous for everyone.

I have started a huge project--I am scanning all my pictures to put on disc so I won't lose them. As I scanned the first two albums I realized I had actually seen some interesting things. My husband, Michael, retired from the United States Navy after thirty years of service, so the first albums I have scanned are from the beginning of our marriage 35 years ago.

I met Mike before he joined the Navy when we both worked at a restaurant in Glen Burnie, Maryland by the name of The White Coffee Pot. This was a chain of restuarants in Maryland. He was a bus boy and I was a waitress making a whopping fifty cents and hour plus tips. The bus boys made a lot more--maybe $1.75, and they got no tips. This was in my senior year of high school--1967-1968.

In November 1967 Mike left for Great Lakes for boot camp. We wrote to each other, and he came home on leave at the end of boot camp. When his leave was over he had orders to Iceland. Again, we wrote for a while, but as young people have a way of doing, our letters became farther apart, and eventually stopped. I lost track of Mike and didn't hear from him for about five years.

One night I got a call from someone asking me to guess who it was. I had been told by a mutual friend Mike had been asking about me, so I knew who it was. By this time he was stationed at the Naval Academy. I was working for the Maryland State Comptroller's Office in Annapolis, and Mike asked me out to lunch. I accepted, but warned him he had better show up. This was in November 1971. In May 1972 Mike and I were married.

When we married Mike had orders to Portsmouth, Virginia to attend Medical Services Technician School. We were married on a Sunday and had to report to Portsmouth on the following Friday. We'd gone to Portsmouth a couple months before we were married and found an apartment, and we just left all of our wedding gifts packed and had the Navy ship them to our apartment. This was the beginning of our lives together. I have decided to chronicle the years here periodically. Please be aware I was and am a horrible photographer, but Mike was and is much better. The terrible pictures I took, and the good ones Mike took. So, stay tuned, and travel back with me to the beginning of our marriage. This is the first installment.


This first picture obviously I took. This is Mike walking off the stage after graduating from MST school. He had received orders to what was then Naval Air Facility Sigonella, Sicily. We were both very excited.

Before going to Sicily we went home to Maryland to visit family. The picture above is my grandmother, Clara Marie Wimpling (my mother's mother) and my nephew, Jeremy Daniel Small. Jeremy s the son of my oldest brother, Bob Small.

Mike and his family were very active members of the BPOE Elks Lodge 2266 in Glen Burnie, Maryland. On the night before we left for Sigonella there was a Lodge event and Mike's mother asked us to go. Above is a picture of Mike, me, his mother, Phyllis Noel, and his step-father, Sam Noel.
Phyllis had a cake made for Mike and me and presented it to us during the party. My, God, were we ever really that young? I was 22 and Mike was 24 in this picture.
This is a picture of my sister-in-law, Gay, and my neice Anna Small. This was taken in my mother's kitchen.
This is my mother, Bernadine Small. She is doing one of her favorite pastimes, crocheting. My mother was happy for Mike and me, but also upset that we were leaving. We were leaving for New York on a Sunday, and she did not want to be there. She and my Dad went away for the weekend. I was fine until the time came to leave, then I wanted to not go. My grandmother was the only one home and she just didn't know what to do. When we got on the plane at Friendship Airport in Baltimore Mike made me go on first so if I chickened out he could push me on the plane. :)
This is my dad, Francis Small. He's doing one of his favorite things too--reading the newspaper. He acted like he was fine with us leaving, but later I found out he was upset too that we were going so far away.

I don't think any of us realized until it was time to go that this was not just going to be a trip around the corner. We were going half way around the world. I had never been away from home, other than to visit New York and Miami. I had no idea what I was going to see in Sicily. I was absolutely scared to death. I knew in the three years we were to be in Sicily there would be a lot of changes at home. But I did get on the plane. Once we got to New York I was OK. I was amazed at the hotel--I don't even remember now which one we stayed at, but it was near JFK, which we flew out of. What a culture shock when we arrived in Sicily. The airport building was a quonset hut, and there were goats, chickens, sheep and other animals roaming free. When I got off the plane in Sicily my first thought was, "Oh, my God! What WERE you thinking???"

So this is the first installment of my "travelogue". In future posts I will tell of the beautiful countryside and the many weekend trips we went on with other members of the Branch Dispensary in Sigonella. I hope you will find something of interest in what I post.

Happy Father's Day

June 15th is Father's Day. The above picture is one of my favorites of my son-in-law, Christopher Stein, and my granddaughter, Clara Stein. This was taken about two years ago when our grandson, Jonathan Stein, was born and the Steins and the Mullikins had a professional photographer take photos of all of us together. I don't think I could find a better picture to relate to Father's Day.

Fathers are special to their little girls, and little girls are special to their fathers. No matter how old they get this will always be true. Sons are also wonderful. Dads can play football and baseball with them, take them fishing and camping and they don't mind getting covered with dirt and mud. But little girls need protection and gentleness--at least that's what Dad thinks. Little girls are princesses and have fairy godmothers. Dads aren't always sure what to do with a daughter. He thinks she is delicate and fragile. He may not know what to say to his teen-age daughter when she has her first heartbreak, but he knows what he'd like to say and do to the heartbreaker. There is nothing too good for a daughter, and no male good enough. This is for the dads that are always there to love and comfort. This is for dads who can't be with their children all the time, but their children are never out of their hearts and minds. This is for the dads who miss minor and major stepping stones in their children's lives. This is for dads who want better for their children than they had, no matter what that might be. This is for substitute dads and foster dads and step dads and adoptive dads. This is for the favorite uncles who are like second dads--I had one of those, and we lost him way too soon. This is also for dads who are no longer with us. As long as you keep someone in your memory they will always be with you, and this is true of dads too. He is always looking over his children, no matter how far away they are, how young or old they are, how perfect they are. Dads will forgive everything. While dads may not always be able to express their love verbally, it is there. Just look in his eyes and see his smile when he looks at his children. Happy Father's Day to all the dads. May you celebrate many more with your children and grandchildren and beyond.

Flag Day

June 14th is Flag Day. Once again I have gone to Wikipedia (I love that site) and retrieved information on it's origin. I hope you will enjoy learning about the day.

Flag of the United States

In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777.
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress.
Flag Day is not an official federal holiday, though on June 14, 1937, Pennsylvania became the first (and only) U.S. state to celebrate Flag Day as a state holiday.
36 U.S.C. § 110 is the official statute on Flag Day, however it is at the President's discretion to proclaim officially the observance.
The largest Flag Day parade is held annually in Troy, New York. [1]
Framingham, Massachusetts also holds a yearly Flag Day parade, as do many other towns and cities, although in recent years a shrinking turnout has prompted the town to consider eliminating the event.


The Flag Day "Movement"

Several men and/or organizations played instrumental roles in the establishment of a national Flag Day celebration. They are identified here in chronological order.

Poster commemorating the 140th Flag Day on 15 February 1917.
1861, George Morris
The earliest reference to the suggestion of a "Flag Day" is cited in Kansas: a Cyclopedia of State History, published by Standard Publishing Company of Chicago in 1912. It credits George Morris of Hartford, Connecticut:
To George Morris of Hartford, Conn., is popularly given the credit of suggesting "Flag Day," the occasion being in honor of the adoption of the American flag on June 14, 1777. The city of Hartford observed the day in 1861, carrying out a program of a patriotic order, praying for the success of the Federal arms and the preservation of the Union.
The observance apparently did not become a tradition.
1885, Bernard J. Cigrand
Working as a grade school teacher in Waubeka, Wisconsin, in 1885, Cigrand held the first recognized formal observance of Flag Day at Stony Hill School in Waubeka. The school has been restored, and a bust of Cigrand also honors him at the National Flag Day Americanism Center in Waubeka.
From the late 1880s on, Cigrand spoke around the country promoting patriotism, respect for the flag, and the need for the annual observance of a flag day on June 14, the day in 1777 that the Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes.
He moved to Chicago to attend dental school and, in June 1886, first publicly proposed an annual observance of the birth of the United States flag in an article titled "The Fourteenth of June," published in the [[Chicago Argus]] newspaper. In June 1888, Cigrand advocated establishing the holiday in a speech before the "Sons of America," a Chicago group. The organization founded a magazine, American Standard, in order to promote reverence for American emblems. Cigrand was appointed editor-in-chief and wrote articles in the magazine as well as in other magazines and newspapers to promote the holiday.
On the third Saturday in June 1894, a public school children’s celebration of Flag Day took place in Chicago at Douglas, Garfield, Humboldt, Lincoln, and Washington Parks. More than 300,000 children participated, and the celebration was repeated the next year.[1]
Cigrand became president of the American Flag Day Association and later of the National Flag Day Society, which allowed him to promote his cause with organizational backing. Cigrand once noted he had given 2,188 speeches on patriotism and the flag.
Cigrand lived in Batavia, Illinois, from 1913–1932.[2]
Cigrand generally is credited with being the "Father of Flag Day," with the Chicago Tribune noting that he "almost singlehandedly" established the holiday.
1888, William T. Kerr
William T. Kerr, a resident of Collier Township, Pennsylvania, for a number of years, founded the American Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania in 1888, and became that organization's national chairman one year later, serving as such for fifty years. He attended President Harry S. Truman's 1949 signing of the Act of Congress that formally established the observance.
1907, B.P.O.E.
On June 14, 1907, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks held a Flag Day observance.

How to Observe Flag Day

The week of June 14 is designated as "National Flag Week." During National Flag Week, the president will issue a proclamation urging U.S. citizens to fly the American flag for the duration of that week. The flag should also be displayed on all Government buildings. The National Flag Day Foundation holds an annual observance for Flag Day on the second Sunday in June. The program includes a ceremonial raising of the flag, recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, singing of the National Anthem (The Star-spangled Banner), a parade and more.

Flag Etiquette

The U.S. Flag, when carried in a procession with other flags, should be either on the marching right (the flag's own right) or, if there is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line. Never display the U.S. flag from a float except from a staff, or so suspended that its folds fall free as though staffed.

When flags of states, cities, or localities, or pennants of societies are flown on the same halyard with the flag of the United States, the latter should always be at the peak.
When displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union should be in the uppermost corner and to the flags own right, that is, to the observer's left. When displayed in a window, the flags should be displayed the same way, with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in the street.

When the flags are flown from adjacent staffs, the flag of the United States should be hoisted first and lowered last. No such flag or pennant may be placed above the flag of the United States or to the United States flag's right.

No other flag or pennant should be placed above, or, if on the same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of America, except during church services conducted by naval chaplains at sea . . . for personnel of the Navy . . . when the church pennant may be flown above the flag. No person shall display the flag of the United Nations or any other national or international flag equal, above, or in a position of superior prominence or honor to, or in place of, the flag of the United States at any place within the United States or any Territory or possession thereof; provided, that nothing in this section shall make unlawful the continuance of the practice heretofore followed of displaying the flag of the United Nations in a position of superior prominence or honor, and other national flags in positions of equal prominence or honor, with that of the flag of the United States at the headquarters of the United Nations.

The flag of the United States of America, when it is displayed with another flag against a wall from crossed staffs, should be on the right, the flag's own I right, and its staff should be in front of the staff of the other flag.

When displayed outdoors with other flags, the position of honor for the U.S. flag is the U.S. flag's own right which is normally the extreme left position as the flags are most frequently viewed.
When the U.S. flag is displayed on a pole projecting from a building, the union of the flag should be placed at the peak of the staff unless the flag is at half staff. When suspended from a rope extending from a building on a pole, the flag should be hoisted out union first from the building.
When flags of two or more nations are displayed: in this circumstance, all the flags including the U.S. flag are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.

When other flags are flown from the same halyard: the U.S. flag should always be at the peak. When other flags are flown from adjacent staffs, the U.S. flag should be hoisted first and lowered last. No flag may fly above or to the right of the U.S. flag.

When Flown at half staff: the U.S. flag should be first hoisted to the peak for a moment and then lowered to the half staff position. The flag should be raised to the peak again before it is lowered for the day.

The U.S. flag should form a distinctive feature at the ceremony of unveiling a statue or monument, but should never be used as the covering for the statue or the monument.
When the U.S. flag is used to cover a casket, it should be so placed that the union is at the head and over the left shoulder. The flag should not be lowered into the grave or allowed to touch the ground.

Saluting the Flag: When a national flag is raised or lowered as part of a ceremony, or when it passes by in a parade or in review, all persons, except those in uniform, should face the flag and stand at attention with the right hand over the heart.

Those in uniform should give the military salute. When not in uniform, a man should remove his hat with his right hand and hold it at his left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. The flag should be saluted at the moment it passes in a parade or in review. Citizens of other countries stand at attention, but need not salute.

It is the universal custom to display the national flag from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary Flagstaff in the open on all days that weather permits, but especially on national and state holidays and other days that may be proclaimed by the President of the United States. On Memorial Day, the U.S. flag should be half-staffed until noon.

The U.S flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated during hours of darkness.
The U.S. flag should be displayed DAILY on or near the main building of every public institution, during school days or near every schoolhouse, and in or near every polling ststion on election days.

Always hoist the U.S. flag briskly. Lower it ceremoniously.

When displayed from a staff in a church or a public auditorium, the U.S. flag should be in position of honor at the clergyman's or speaker's right as he faces the audience (the left of the audience). Any other flag so displayed is to be placed at the speaker's left as he faces the audience (the right of the audience).

If displayed flat against a wall on the speaker's platform, the U.S. flag should be placed above and behind the speaker. When displayed either horizontally or vertically, the union of the flag should be in the upper left hand corner as the audience faces the flag.

The U.S. flag should be at the center and at the highest point of the group, when a number of flags of states or localities or pennants of societies are grouped and displayed from staffs. When the U.S. flag is on display with flags of other nations, all staffs should be of equal height with the U.S. flag in the position of honor at the U.S. flag's own right,which is the extreme left as the flags are viewed.

Half-Staff: The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. On Memorial Day, the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff. By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of the state, territory or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in I accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law. In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any state, territory or possession of the United States, the Governor of that state, territory or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff

IMPORTANT DONT'S

It is generally not desirable to fly the flag outdoors when the weather is particularly inclement because exposure to severe winds and rain may damage the flag or the pole on which it is displayed. Never in any way should disrespect be shown the U.S. flag. The U.S. flag should never be dipped into any person or thing. Regimental colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags are dipped as a mark of honor. The U.S. flag should never be displayed with the union down except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property. The U.S. flag should never touch anything beneath it - ground, floor, water or merchandise. The U.S. flag should never be carried horizontally, but it should always be aloft and free. Always allow the U.S. flag to fall free- never use the U.S. flag as wearing apparel, bedding or drapery, festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds. For draping platforms and decorations in general, use blue, white and red bunting. Always arrange the bunting with the blue above, the white in the middle and the red below. The U.S. flag should never be fastened, displayed, used or stored in any manner which will permit it to be easily torn, soiled or damaged in any way. Never use U.S. flags as a covering or drapes for the ceiling.
* * *
Never place anything on the U.S. flag. The U.S. flag should never have placed upon it, or on any part of it, or attached to it, any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture or drawing of any nature. Never use the U.S. flag for receiving, holding, carrying or delivering anything. The U.S. flag should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins, boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use or discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown. Never use any part of the U.S. flag as a costume or athletic uniform. A flag patch may be affixed to uniforms of military personnel, firemen, policemen and members of patriotic organizations.
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When the U.S. flag is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably via flag disposal ceremonies held at your local VFW or American Legion Posts.The preceding information on US Flag Etiquette is based on Public Law 94-344 94th Congress and Amendments theretornment buildings. Some organizations hold parades and events in celebration of America's national flag and everything it represents.