Acta Scientiarum Polonorum
Silvarum Colendarum Ratio et Industria Lignaria

This review presents a historical and technological overview of resin and pitch production in Italy, tracing their development from prehistory to the present. Archaeological evidence attests to the early use of birch tar and conifer resins in the manufacture of composite tools, while historical sources underscore the industrial scale and strategic value of Brettian pitch during the Roman era. In the Middle Ages and early modern period, pitch production became institutionalized through guild systems and regional economies. Although industrial output declined in the twentieth century, traditional practices persist in parts of the Italian peninsula.
The review situates the Italian experience within broader European contexts, highlighting its technological, economic, cultural, and ecological significance. By integrating chemical, archaeological, historical, and ethnographic perspectives, this study elucidates the long-term continuity and transformation of resin and pitch production and use in Italy over millennia.