Hi Paul, really in the text that it sendes to me, there are all ancient trades,reported to sale fish and transport liquids, and to guards of vigilance for sale fish. More in very ancient past, the word "salma" it is reported to ancient measure of liquid, in use in the south Italy (to Napoli: 1 salma=158,6 liters; Palermo:1 salma=275,1 liters:Bari: 1 salma=165,4 liters, etc..)... therefore "salmataro" means, producer of "salma" recipient..in the txt are also with "salmataro" word, the word "banchi"=benches, stands..is right to think a vendor of containers: "salma" called... More: this words in italian language are disappeared from many time, and perhaps are also dialectal words of local language, regards, Raffaella Frank Young <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>... > On Mon, 19 Apr 2004, Paul Monda wrote: > > > A birth record from 1849 shows an occupation that appears to be "salmatari". > > Is your record from the South? In and around Naples, a "salmataro" was a > precursor of an undertaker or mortician, but with none of the modicum of > professional respect that attaches to that job today. > > Regards, Frank Young > [email protected] 703-527-7684 > Post Office Box 2793, Kensington, Maryland 20891 > "Videmus nunc per speculum in aenigmate... Nunc cognosco ex parte"