Abandoned Childhood

The abandonment of newborns, the phenomenon of the "esposti" (foundlings), is one of the pages of Italian history most dense with humanity and, at the same time, with social tragedy. Between the nineteenth century and the early twentieth, Italy had one of the highest abandonment rates in Europe.

The Foundling Wheel (Ruota degli Esposti)

The undisputed symbol of this phenomenon is the Foundling Wheel: a rotating wooden cylinder set into the wall of hospitals or convents. The mother placed the baby on the outside, rang a bell and turned the wheel; inside, the staff took in the child, guaranteeing complete anonymity.

Denied Identity: The Logic of First Names and Surnames

Assigning a first name and surname to foundlings was an act of creating an identity "ex nihilo". The first name was often chosen according to the saint of the day on which the child was found. The surname, instead, followed several patterns: geographic origin (Della Ruota, Esposto, Degli Innocenti), auspicious surnames (Ventura, Fortuna, Speranza, Casadei) or, at times, fanciful surnames linked to objects present in the office.

Only with the Royal Decree of May 8, 1927 did a crucial turning point arrive, establishing that the civil registrar was to assign to these children first names and surnames that revealed neither their natural origin nor their state of abandonment.