Zimone

Zimun

From the XI century, Zimone had a role of particular importance: The position and conformation of its territory allowed people to avoid the dangerous passage from Salussola to Cavaglià, subject to toll and made unsafe by the continuous wars. The road was the communication way between the Biellese plain and the road to France and Ivrea. The journey crossed completely the Avogrado’s domain and protection and reception to the wayfarers were given by the monastic cells. In 1619 the village was enfeoffed to Federico Avogadro by Carlo Emanuele I of Savoy.

 The socio-economic conditions of Zimone’s community did not change much through the centuries; the land gave poor incomes as the area occupied by the woodlands, giving a good production of timber from which charcol was obtained, was minimal and did not give much advantage to the village. Super Intendent Blanciotti wrote: “Zimone is … without water, produces rye and legumes, poor wine, hay and chestnuts, the villagers have no other industry but agriculture and are generally in difficulty”. Comparing the tables of Blanciotti’s report, the absence of looms for wool or hemp cloths and also any kind of commercial presence is furthermore highlighted.

  
The seasonal emigration was continous up to 1900 with periodical movements not only of men, but also of women. Many women in September went to the nearby Vercelli to gather the rice, returning home with a small sum of money and a sack of rice. Amongst the men, mostly they were trabucant and woodcutters; both went to the nearby areas, but also to Savoy. From 1921 to 1931 there was a drop in the population of more then 300 people. Men were leaving for Italy and abroad, gradually they recalled their families and the village started to depopulate. In 1961 the residents were reduced to 498 and in 1991 the Primary school was closed.

The biographies of Zimone’s emigrants are 149, 14.9% of the inhabitants in 1911. The favourite nation was France with 47.7%, followed by the United States with 37.9%, South America with 7.8%, Switzerland with 6.9% and Africa with 0.7%. The most frequent family names are Givonetti, Perazzone, Raviglione, Givone, Forno and Pozzo. The oldest emigrant is Agostino Perazzone, 1843, emigrated to Buenos Aires.