Mazzarella

A mazzarella is a stick used in northern Italy to herd cattle (such as oxen), sheep, and horses.

It is carried by a buttero, a cowboy or shepherd in the regions of Maremma, in Tuscany, and in the bordering zones of the Northern Latium.

Mazzarella is derived from the word , the Italian word for mace. The mace was the primary weapon in Europe between the 12th and 16th centuries, and the area around Milan in northern Italy was a primary site of manufacture for the Italian mace that was most popular during this period.

Starting around the 15th to 16th century, the mace became a ceremonial symbol of authority, and has continued to be so at multiple European courts as well as in the U.S. Congress and at many universities.

The mazzarella, therefore, is a derivation that persists in Northern Italy both as a symbol of authority (for the cowboy or shepherd), as well as having an impetus and herding function. Provided by Wikipedia