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Morgongiori

Morgongiori is known for the Sagra delle Lorighittas, featuring its historic center and surrounding areas that provide access to Monte Arci and its numerous archaeological sites.

The Historic Region of Marmilla

Located in south-central Sardinia, straddling the border between the provinces of Oristano and South Sardinia, lies the region of Marmilla. The northern part of Marmilla, situated within the Province of Oristano, includes the following municipalities: Albagiara, Ales, Assolo, Asuni, Baressa, Baradili, Curcuris, Gonnoscodina, Gonnosnò, Gonnostramatza, Masullas, Mogorella, Mogoro, Morgongiori, Nureci, Pau, Pompu, Ruinas, Senis, Simala, Sini, Siris, Usellus, Villa Sant’Antonio, and Villa Verde.

The southern municipalities in the Province of South Sardinia are: Barumini, Collinas, Furtei, Genuri, Gesturi, Las Plassas, Lunamatrona, Pauli Arbarei, Sardara, Segariu, Setzu, Siddi, Tuili, Turri, Ussaramanna, Villamar, Villanovaforru, and Villanovafranca. In southern Marmilla, the hill of Las Plassas stands out uncontested, famous for its breast-like shape, which reportedly gave the surrounding territory its name. In ancient times, this hill featured a giant nipple at its apex through which Mother Nature nourished all Sardinians.

The landscape is predominantly hilly and includes the Giara di Gesturi, Giara di Siddi, Giara di Serri, the Genoni plateau, and the Rio Mannu d’Isili basin. The primary local activities are agriculture and tourism.

The Municipality of Morgongiori

The municipality of Morgongiori (known in the Sardinian language as Margaxori, at an elevation of 351 meters above sea level, with a population of 660 as of December 31, 2021) is a village situated on the southern slopes of Monte Arci. The municipal territory extends across both slopes of Monte Arci, where the precipices of the western side contrast with the Is Benas plateau, varied by dacitic rock veins. It features an irregular geometric profile with sharp altimetric variations.

The symbol of Morgongiori remains the rocky peak of Sa Trebina Longa, standing at 812 meters of altitude, from which visitors can admire a panorama that, on clear days, extends to the sea of Cagliari. The territory is also of significant archaeological interest, as the obsidian-rich terrain has been exploited for the extraction of this material since prehistoric times, as evidenced by the remains of ancient workshops.

Origin of the Name

The name corresponds to the Campidanese appellative Margangioni or Mragangiò, which denotes a pile of stones or a stony place. It is a Sardian or protosardinian relic, likely comparable to the Italian Marga or Margone (indicating marl, a shaly limestone of clay and dolomite), and perhaps connected to Maragoni, meaning a rock fissure.

Economy

The cornerstone of the local economy is agriculture, representing an important livelihood for the population. The most widespread crops include cereals, wheat, vegetables, fodder, vines, orchards, and olives. Livestock farming is also practiced, particularly cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, horses, and poultry. Industry consists of small enterprises operating in textiles, mining, and construction.

Local craftsmanship is noteworthy, especially the creation of textiles such as tapestries and carpets woven on horizontal looms, featuring colorful patterns produced using the A briabi and A lauru techniques. The local cuisine exclusively produces Is lorighittas. The tertiary sector does not assume significant dimensions.

The dense vegetation of cork oaks, holm oaks, myrtles, and strawberry trees, alongside the precious archaeological heritage, attracts a steady flow of tourists. The area offers excursions to naturalistic destinations such as Le Trebine (volcanic peaks dominating Monte Arci) and the Oristano plain, with views of Arcuentu and the forests of Capudaquas, Solacera, and Landirucci. In antiquity, the area was renowned for its rich deposits of obsidian—black gold, a glossy and sharp volcanic glass. Local accommodation facilities, including a farmhouse, offer dining options.

Historical Overview

The territory offers remarkable traces of various successive civilizations that created an extraordinary cultural synthesis. Numerous archaeological sites and obsidian extraction and processing workshops testify to human presence since ancient times. The area was also inhabited during the Nuragic era, as attested by several nuraghi. From the Roman period, alongside artifacts brought to light at Funtana Majori, notable discoveries include tombs made of local white limestone at Sant’Arronti and Is Iaccus. In the Middle Ages, it belonged to the Giudicato of Arborea, forming part of the curatoria of Parte Montis.

The recorded history of the town dates back to when Francesco Carroz, coming from Valencia with his sons, supplied James II the Just with funds and armed horses to participate in the Catalan-Aragonese conquest of the island. In 1313, Francesco obtained the title of admiral; in 1323, he armed twenty galleys to conquer Sardinia for the Infante Alfonso of Aragon; and in 1330, he secured jurisdiction over several fiefs, including Quirra.

Francesco’s son, Berengario I, briefly occupied Marmilla with his troops, wishing to annex it to his Quirra fief. However, King Martin I of Aragon, shortly before his death, had included a large part of it in a fief granted to Garcia Lupo de Ferrero. Even after the deaths of the King and Garcia Lupo de Ferrero without heirs, Berengario I continued to occupy Marmilla.

Berengario I married secondly Gerardona de Ribelles, with whom he had a son, Berengario II. The Quirra fief was converted into a county in 1363, and sovereign Peter IV the Ceremonious named Berengario II Count of Quirra. Berengario II left a sole legitimate daughter, Violante I, who transferred rights over the fiefs to her son Berengario_III, married to Eleonora Manrique de Lara (a relative of the King of Castile), who brought other fiefs as a dowry.

In 1412, the new King Ferdinand I of Aragon forced Berengario III to return the occupied territories of Marmilla, which were then administered directly by the Crown of Aragon. From 1421, they entered a fief granted to Raimondo Guglielmo Moncada, though it was confiscated decades later. Following various vicissitudes, Marmilla was purchased at auction by Pietro de Besalù (son-in-law of Nicolò Carroz, Count of Quirra, Viceroy of Sardinia, and member of the Carroz of Arborea branch). Lacking the full sum, Pietro borrowed money from Cagliari resident Simone Rubei, beginning to repay him through feudal revenues.

In 1459, his revenues were seized by the treasury due to delinquency, rendering Pietro unable to repay Simone Rubei. In 1464, Rubei threatened to auction the fiefs to recover his credit, but Pietro was saved by his father-in-law Nicolò Carroz, who settled the debt. Upon his death in 1469, Berengario III left a sole legitimate minor daughter, Violante II, placed under the guardianship of Nicolò Carroz, who arranged her marriage to his son Dalmazio Carroz, bringing the county title and all enfeudated territories as a dowry.

Upon Nicolò Carroz’s death, Pietro de Besalù found himself in trouble again as Dalmazio, taking advantage of tensions following Leonardo de Alagon‘s rebellion, militarily occupied all of Marmilla in 1474 and demanded settlement. Unable to pay, Pietro reached a compromise in 1477 with Dalmazio Carroz, and most of Marmilla became part of the great Quirra fief. Meanwhile, Violante II reached adulthood and reclaimed her fiefs. In 1504 (confirmed in 1506), the County of Quirra was elevated to a state with the concession of Allòdio, allowing the transfer of feudal rights to descendants—including through the female line—without prior royal authorization.

In 1604, the Quirra fiefs were elevated from a County to a Marquessate, later aggregated with Nules (a small Marquessate in the Kingdom of Valencia). In 1511, upon Violante II’s death, the fief passed to her grandson Guglielmo Raimondo Centelles. The first historical references to Pompu date back to 1576. During the long period administered by the Centelles, living conditions were difficult. The new feudal lords had Marmilla managed by a regidor and, while not exacerbating taxes, severely limited community autonomy, modifying the selection system for the Majore (who ceased to be elected).

The last of the Centelles died in 1676, when the Marquessate was granted to Francesco Pasquale Borgia, who held it for about fifty years before losing control following a lengthy lawsuit with the Català, who took possession in 1726 under the Savoy dynasty. In 1798, the territory passed to the Castilian-origin Osorio de la Cueva family, from whom the Marquessate was redeemed in 1839 with the abolition of the feudal system, becoming a municipality administered by a mayor and a town council. In 1974, following the creation of the Province of Oristano, Morgongiori was transferred from the Province of Cagliari to the Province of Oristano.

Festivals and Traditions

Morgongiori is home to the Gruppo Folk Santa Suia, whose performances showcase the traditional local costume. Key events include:

• January 17: The Festival of Saint Anthony the Abbot, featuring bonfire lightings on the eve, religious processions, and fireworks.

• Holy Week: Rites from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, culminating in Su Scravamentu—an ancient theatrical representation of Christ’s deposition from the cross featuring characters in costume, ending with a torchlight procession at dusk.

• May 15: The Festival of Saint Isidore, protector of farmers.

• July 22: The Patronal Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene.

• Early August: The Sagra delle Lorighittas, dedicated to local gastronomy, accompanied by a folk review and traditional dances in the square.

• October 15: The Festival of Saint Suia (Saint Sophia), with celebrations spanning October 14 to 16.

The Festival of Saint Isidore

Celebrated annually on May 15, the festival of Saint Isidore is exclusively promoted and funded by farmers. A committee of farmer-stewards (Obrieri) collects grain offerings from each Massaro during harvest time. Oxen participate in the saint’s procession, adorned with a splendid embroidered necklace called Gutturada, woven on a family loom as part of a bride’s trousseau and kept in a chestnut chest, used only for weddings and this festival. Horse races are also held, traditionally ridden bareback and without stirrups (A Sa nua), where winners receive pieces of cloth, velvet, or brocade, and the first-place winner is awarded a pure silk handkerchief.

The Sagra delle Lorighittas

Morgongiori is renowned for producing Lorighittas, a handmade pasta crafted by twisting a double strand of dough between the fingers into a small braided ring (called Loriga). This unique pasta style is strictly localized to Morgongiori. The dough is hard to the touch and resembles an earring.

The entire process is manual without equipment, using medium-coarse durum wheat semolina, salt, and water. The niche product is celebrated during the Sagra delle lorighittas e del Porchetto arrosto del Monte Arci on the first weekend of August, combining culinary tastings with the Carpet and Tapestry Exhibition, folk performances, and traditional square dances.

Exploring the Center of Morgongiori

The town features classic rural layouts with hill town altimetry. Ancient construction types are preserved, many built with trachytic blocks and black basalt, reflecting peasant architecture. Unique carved friezes remain visible on some portals.

• Town Hall (Municipio): Located at Via della Rinascita 6, housing municipal administrative offices across its ground and first floors.

• Parish Church of Saint Mary Magdalene: Built in 1673 as inscribed on a carved stone in a lateral chapel, featuring a Latin cross floor plan and a barrel vault. It serves as a historical repository for documents on Morgongiori.

• War Memorial: Situated in Pope John XXIII Square opposite the parish church, featuring a bronze sculpture atop a stone plinth honoring fallen soldiers of World Wars I and II.

• Living Museum of Textile Art: Housed in the historic former town hall building on Via Umberto I / Via della Chiesa, showcasing ancient weaving techniques (A briabi and A lauru) and priceless historical carpets, tapestries, and saddlebags.

• Municipal Sports Facilities: Including a dirt-pitch football field with stands for 850 spectators and a synthetic turf five-a-side pitch.

• Municipal Cemetery: Located just outside the town following relocation from its original site beside the parish church for public health reasons.

Exploring the Surroundings of Morgongiori

The Volcanic Massif of Monte Arci

Monte Arci spans an area of 3,228 hectares within the municipal territory. It is an isolated massif rising in central Sardinia, reaching a maximum altitude of 812 meters. Its volcanic basaltic towers—Sa Trebina Longa (812 m), Sa Trebina Lada (703 m), and Su Corongiu de Sizoa (463 m)—resemble a tripod when viewed from afar. The mountain is rich in obsidian, historically crucial in prehistoric mining as “prehistoric black gold,” utilized to craft arrowheads, knives, axes, and mirrors exported across the Mediterranean.

Country Church of Santa Suia (Saint Sophia)

Located on the southwestern slopes of Monte Arci at an altitude of 87 meters, this rural church is believed by tradition to be the parish of the ancient medieval village of Santa Suia, which was destroyed by Saracen pirates in the 16th century. The church hosts the annual Festival of Santa Suia on October 15, during which a statue of the saint is carried in a twelve-kilometer procession along rugged mountain paths from the parish church.

Sa Grutta de Is Caombus and Sa Scaba de Cresia

Located on the mountain slopes, this site features a massive rock fracture containing Sa Scaba de Cresia—a perfectly preserved subterranean basalt staircase built during the Monte Claro Culture (Late Eneolithic, c. 2700–2100 BC) that leads down to a sacred well.

Rio Mortu Necropolis

Located near the Rio Mortu bridge along the municipal road to Is Benas, featuring numerous unstudied domus de janas carved into limestone cliffs.

Therapeutic Community “Alle Sorgenti”

A residential facility founded in 1988 for drug rehabilitation, housed in a spacious two-story building granted by the Diocese of Ales and Terralba.

Monte Arci Regional Natural Park Features

• Is Benas Pine Forest: Equipped with picnic tables and fireplaces.

• Spendula Waterfall of Rio Salonis: An ephemeral two-tier waterfall set amidst holm oaks and basalt rocks.

Archaeological Site of Prabanta

Located at the eastern edge of the municipal territory near the Rio Mogoro, dating back to the Ozieri Culture (Final Neolithic, c. 4000–2800 BC). It features:

• Su Furconi de luxia Arrabiosa: An isolated quadrangular menhir standing 3.60 meters tall, carved with twelve vertical cupules.

• Su Forru de luxia Arrabiosa: A three-chambered domus de janas.

• Su Stabi de luxia Arrabiosa: A simpler single-chambered tomb.

• Legend of Luxia Arrabiosa: Folklore surrounding a young maiden who defended herself from a faun using a pitchfork, earning her fiery moniker.