Silanus
A JEWEL OF HISTORY, CULTURE, AND ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE MARGHINE
REGION
Silanus is a pastoral center located in the west-central part of the Province of Nuoro, nestled within the
mountains of the Marghine range at an altitude of 432 meters above sea level. The territory features an
irregular profile with marked altitudinal variations ranging from 151 to 1,118 meters, rich in evergreen
oaks and exceptional environmental heritage. The historic Marghine region is a large plateau formed by
post-Miocene lava flows produced by the Montiferru volcanoes, renowned for its pristine landscapes
and as one of the last habitats of the Eurasian griffon vulture in the Mediterranean basin.
Etymology and Longevity
The name is documented as early as 1341 in the forms Salanos and Silanos, deriving from the Latin term
Silanus, which refers to water spouts, fountains, or a personal Latin name. Traditionally linked to the mask of a
fountain from which water flowed perpetually, the name may also trace back to a pre-Roman linguistic layer.
Silanus has attracted worldwide scientific attention for the exceptional longevity of its population,
characterized by a remarkable concentration of centenarians of both sexes. In 2004, it was featured in
National Geographic due to its high density of centenarians relative to its overall population.
Economy and Traditions
The local economy is traditionally based on agriculture and livestock farming—specializing in cereals, wheat,
vegetables, forage, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit orchards, alongside cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and
horses—supported by growing industrial and lime-extraction activities from nearby Mount Arbo.
Craftsmanship is historically significant, particularly traditional carpet weaving. Silanus preserves a rich
culinary heritage, boasting thirty-two distinct types of bread and nineteen pastries, including s’aligu (a toasted
pastry with honey and orange peel wrapped in fragrant lemon leaves), wild fennel soup (suppa de frenugu),
and su ischidu (curdled milk preparation).
Historical Overview
The territory of Silanus has been inhabited since prehistoric times, bearing traces of Neolithic communities of
the Ozieri culture, Nuragic civilizations, and Roman settlements near the ancient lime quarries where tradition
places forced laborers. During the medieval period, the village became part of the Giudicato of Torres within
the Marghine curatoria, later passing under the control of the Giudicato of Arborea, the Viscounts of Narbona,
the Aragonese Crown, various noble houses including the Centelles and Borgia, and eventually the House of
Savoy until the abolition of feudal rights in 1843.
Architecture and Religious Heritage
The historic center features traditional stone houses with characteristic wooden balconies, watched over by
Mount Arbo. Key architectural landmarks include:
Parish Church of Sant’Antonio Abate (Cresia Mazore): Built in the 17th century on a previous
structure, featuring a single nave with barrel vaulting, side chapels, a square bell tower, and housing
active historic brotherhoods.
Church of Santa Maria d’Itria (Sa Itiri): A 17th-century country church with a Latin cross layout, barrel
vaulting, and a rich altarpiece featuring polychrome wooden sculptures, including the Madonna d’Itria
accompanied by figures of a kneeling slave and a converted Turkish prisoner, celebrating the legend of
Odigitria.
Church of San Lorenzo (Santu Larettu): A stunning 12th-century Burgundian Romanesque
Cistercian church built in dark volcanic stone at the foot of Mount Arbo, preserving 14th-century
frescoes depicting Saint Christopher and Saint Lorenzo, with ancient betyls placed in its front garden.
Church of the Holy Cross (Santa Rughe): A 17th-century single-hall church with pointed arches, an
apse, and a fine 18th-century gilded wooden altar.
Church of Santa Maria Maddalena (Sa Maddalena): Built in 1582 in Catalan-Gothic style, featuring
ribbed cross vaults and sculpted corbels.
Church of Santu Portolu (San Bartolomeo): A hilltop country church dedicated to Saint Bartholomew
and the Virgin of Graces, surrounded by traditional cumbessias (pilgrim lodgings).
Granary (Monte Granatico): A dignified historic building with basalt staircases and exposed wooden
roof trusses, now serving as a cultural center.
Folk Culture, Poetry, and Festivals
Silanus maintains a profound tradition of extemporaneous oral poetry known as poesia a bolu, holding a
unique place in Sardinian culture. For over four decades, it was home to legendary master improvisers such
as Francesco Mura and Mario Masala. The town is also renowned for traditional cantu a tenore—the archaic
polyphonic vocal style recognized as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage—as well as rich folklore,
traditional costumes, horse riding events, and choral polyphony.
Annual celebrations include the dramatic bonfire festival for Saint Anthony Abbot on January 17, colorful
Carnival parades, Holy Week processions, the Feast of Saint Isidore in May featuring the majestic iscanesos
oxen and traditional carts, summer solstice bonfires, the Feast of Saint Lawrence in August, and the major
festivities for Saint Sabina in September featuring novenas and gatherings in the ancient cumbessias.
Archaeological Heritage and Surroundings
The surrounding landscape of Silanus is an extraordinary open-air archaeological park containing numerous
Nuragic monuments:
Nuraghe Orolio (Madrone): One of the best-preserved and tallest Nuragic towers in Sardinia, featuring
a central keep with intricate internal spiral staircases, corbelled tholos chambers, and an adjacent
Bronze Age village settlement.
Nuragic Complex of Santa Sabina: Comprising a single-tower Nuraghe Santa Sabina with intact
tholos chamber, two Giants’ tombs (Santa Sarbana I and II) with stelai fragments, the sacred well
temple of Cherchizzu, and the unique domed Byzantine-Romanesque church of Santa Sabina.
Nuraghe Corbos: An imposing truncated-cone single tower rising over 11 meters atop a rocky ridge,
featuring sophisticated masonry, an intact tholos chamber, an adjacent village, and nearby Giants’
tombs accompanied by ancient basalt betyls.
Giants’ Tombs of Pedras Doladas: Megalithic burial sites notable for their structured funerary
corridors, stele remnants, and rare anthropomorphic statue-menhirs featuring stylized faces and
weapons.
Giants’ Tombs of S’Abbaia and Sa Mura Ruja: Isodomic monumental tombs featuring denticulated
ashlar stones, sacred betyls, and meticulously crafted basalt flooring slabs.
Mount Arbo Quarries: Historic limestone and lime-production quarries utilized since Roman and
medieval times.