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Article ID: CBB000931290

Galileo in the Role of Caster's Assistant: The 1634 Bell of the Torre del Mangia in Siena (2008)

Valleriani, Matteo (Author)

Galilæana: Journal of Galilean Studies
Volume: 5
Pages: 89--112

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Metallurgy Bells and bell founding Technology Hydrostatics Science and technology, relationships 17th century Tuscany (Italy) Galilei, Galileo

This study focuses on the relations between Galileo?s hydrostatics and the practical knowledge ofmetallurgy experts, in particular, the knowledge of XVI century bell founders. In 1633 a particularly large bell-casting project was undertaken in the city of Siena. The target was to replace the largest bell of the city's Torre del Mangia. Galileo became involved in this enterprise. He thus had the opportunity to display the power of his hydrostatics and to successfully apply one of its theorems, as published in his Discorso intorno alle cose che stanno in su l?acqua of 1612, to the practical problems that emerged during the casting process. A demonstration experiment was set up and performed by Galileo at the residence of the archbishop Ascanio Piccolomini. In this way, Galileo applied himself to the analysis of traditional construction processes, like those of the early modern bell founders. The analysis of the historical sources available, themost relevant of which are attached in English translation at theend of this paper, and a detailed reconstruction on the basis of Biringuccio's De la pirotechnia of 1540 of the practical methods and knowledge of the XVI-century bell founders, allow us to infer, contrary to what Galileo attempted to show in Siena, first, that he was well versed in the methods, the language and the knowledge of practitioners such as bell founders and, second, that his very theorem is rooted in the practical knowledge of early modern metallurgy. The case of Galileo as a caster?s assistant is used, moreover, to speculate about the nature of practical knowledge and theways inwhich itwas related to Galile?s science and to theoretical knowledge in general.

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