On Mount Etna in Sicily, one of Europe’s most active volcanoes, fire and ice have coexisted for centuries. Long before modern refrigeration, local communities developed an unusual mountain industry that revolved around snow and ice. Until the early decades of the 20th century, workers known as nivari – or nevaioli – climbed the volcano during winter to collect snow that would later be sold throughout Sicily and beyond.
Mount Etna rises to more than 11,000 feet and its upper slopes receive heavy snowfall during the cold months. For centuries, this natural resource became the basis of a seasonal economy. Each winter, hundreds of workers traveled to high-altitude areas of the volcano, often between 5,000 and 8,000 feet, where snow accumulated in large quantities. The work was physically demanding and took place in harsh conditions, with strong winds, freezing temperatures, and steep volcanic terrain.
Once collected, the snow was stored in special structures known as neviere, or nivare in the local dialect. These were natural lava caves or stone-built pits designed to preserve snow for long periods. The volcanic rock surrounding the chambers acted as natural insulation, slowing the melting process even during the hot Mediterranean summer. Workers packed the snow tightly inside these cavities, compressing it into dense layers of ice.
Some of these storage sites were carefully engineered. Stone walls reinforced the pits, and layers of straw, branches, or volcanic ash were sometimes used to help maintain low temperatures. In certain areas dozens of neviere operated simultaneously, forming an organized network of storage points scattered across the slopes of Etna.
When summer arrived, the stored ice became extremely valuable. Workers cut the compacted snow into large blocks that could weigh dozens of pounds. To prevent melting during transport, the blocks were wrapped in insulating materials such as straw and fern leaves. The ice was then loaded onto mules and carried down the mountain along narrow trails that connected high-altitude storage sites to towns and coastal markets.
The demand for this ice was significant. Before the introduction of refrigeration, ice was essential for preserving food and cooling drinks. Fish markets relied on it to keep seafood fresh, while wealthy households used it to chill wine and other beverages. It also played a role in Sicilian culinary traditions. Ice from Mount Etna was widely used to prepare early versions of granite and sorbets, frozen desserts that remain iconic in Sicily today.
This trade extended beyond the island itself. Historical accounts suggest that Etna’s ice was exported across parts of the Mediterranean, including Malta. For many mountain communities, the seasonal harvest and sale of snow provided an important source of income.
One of the most remarkable places connected to this tradition is the Grotta del Gelo, or Ice Cave, located on the northern side of Etna. Formed during a long volcanic eruption in the 17th century, the cave contains what is considered the southernmost perennial glacier in Europe. Inside the lava tunnel, thick layers of ice can persist year-round thanks to the cave’s stable microclimate.
The snow trade continued for generations but gradually declined during the first half of the 20th century. As mechanical refrigeration spread across Europe between the 1930s and 1950s, the economic value of natural ice disappeared. The work of the nevaioli slowly came to an end.
Today the neviere and mountain caves remain as traces of a forgotten industry. On a volcano known for lava flows and eruptions, these structures remind visitors that Etna was once not only a place of fire, but also a mountain where snow and ice shaped an entire local economy.
