Notes on the Inventory Practice in the Canton of Valais: The Swiss Dams and the Heritage of the Italian Seasonal Workers

Abstract

The large dams of the canton of Valais, Switzerland, are celebrated pieces of engineering. Yet the contributions of the workforce, mainly composed of Italian seasonal workers, to the erection of these gigantic works is often overlooked. This essay analyses the inventory entries of the 4 listed dams of the canton of Valais, with the conclusions that these texts often perpetuate a canonical history of construction and leave little room for the workers in the justification for their listings.

Keywords
Hydroelectricity, Circular migration, Swiss Alps, Construction Heritage