www.speleophilately.com
 

Stamp issued on 23 April 1979 depicting Spallanzani

When I look at the comments to the stamp or to the cancels related with Lazzaro Spallanzani most of the times I struck dumb: in fact Spallanzani is quickly "liquidated" as the man who investigated a lot about bats and visited some small cave here and there (the Dogs Cave for example...).

I think it's time to give you a more clear presentation of a man who could be, without doubts, considered a forerunner of Speleology, of the modern Biology and, last but not least, of Vulcanospeleology.

He was born in Scandiano (Reggio Emilia, Italy) the January 12th, 1729 and, after the normal school, being very bright and intelligent, in short time was graduated in Classicality and, after a cup of years of intensive studies of Physics, Literature, Greek and French languages, during 1754 was named Professor of Philosophy and Literature of the Reggio Emilia's College. In the meantime he got the Minor Order of the Catholic Church and, during 1760 was qualified to teach Physics and Mathematics at the St.Charles College of Modena.

Spallanzani received several offers from other Italian and foreign colleges and universities but always he refused because too linked with his parents. Only during 1770 he moved to Pavia's University, under solicitation (practically forced} by the Empress Maria Teresa of Austria. Lazzaro Spallanzani died in Pavia the February 12th, 1799.

During his life, between the other studies, he was interested in all connected with Speleology: underground waters, springs, karst landform, caves (several of them were explored and described in his works), karst geomorphology (in 1760 he gave the first description of karst dissolution surface microforms) and, finally, vulcanospeleology.

In this direction the June 23th, 1788, he moved from Pavia and, for more than two months, visited several places linked with the volcanic activity, located in the South of Italy:
- Civita Castellana and the lava flow of the Cimino's mountain.
- Rome and the volcanic nature of the "Roman Castels".
- Terracina, where it's possible to observe the Calcium Carbonate rocks to soar high above the volcanic rocks because of the action of old earth-quakes.
- Neaples, where he saw the Pozzuoli "solfatara", Posillipo where made the geological study of the surrounding cave, Ercolano, Pompeii, .Agnano and the Dogs Cave with the Carbon dioxide (CO2) gas fumes, Capri, Ischia and Procida.
- Catania and the Etna volcano where he visited, mapped and described, expressing the hypothesis of its formation by gas expansion, the Goat's Cave. He reached also the summit crater (more than 3000 meters...).
- The Ciclopi's Isles, the Eolie's Isles: Lipari, Volcano (study and mapping of several lava caves, description of a cave fully covered of sulphur crystals, sound of the deep of the crater), Stromboli (ascent to the summit of the volcano) and Salina.
- Neaples again where finally he rises the Vesuvio volcano summit and where he gave a precise description of the caves and of the galleries lived as "scheats" by the lava flows. He was able to measure the lava flow speed from a shaft open on an active fluid lava tube.

In few words Lazzaro Spallanzani was not only a great scientist and speleologist but a real caver!! All the journey summarized in our short exposition, was published by Lazzaro Spallanzani in six books, in 8° (cm 20,7 x cm 12,5) by B.Comini editor, Pavia, during the years 1792-1797.

The books were translated and edited 3 times in French language (1794/1798,1799 and 1800) and one time in German language (1795/1788). We saw the French third edition (1800) in offer at 1033 Euro and we must say that the engravings are really splendid! Too much for this time…

Maximum card with the stamp and cancel emitted in occasion of the 150th anniversary of Spallanzani.

Two different cancels used in occasion of the 200th anniversary of the death of Lazzaro Spallanzani and the concomitant studies symposium.