Six curiosities about Sardinia for an even more magical and fascinating island

Sardinia is one of the most fascinating and magical Italian regions. It is a destination that conquers the heart and mind of those who are lucky enough to visit it. Renowned above all for its sea and natural beauty, it also stands out for its particularly rich and unique culinary culture. However, there are some anecdotes that few know, and that make this place even more mysterious

.

Un&' island with century-old DNA

As demonstrated by the numerous archaeological finds found on the &' island, Sardinia has been inhabited since the Paleolithic, but c&' it is an even more interesting and curious thing that makes this &' island the subject of numerous socio-demographic studies: the longevity of its inhabitants. In fact, Sardinia is composed of a population that manages to have a particularly long life expectancy compared to the rest of the Europeans, there are many people who go so far as to blow out the unusual 100 candles. It seems that in this regard there is a scientific explanation such that the genetic makeup of the inhabitants combined with &' Sardinian diet, allows the inhabitants of &' island to live

so long.

L&' oldest tree d&' Italy is Sardinian

L&' oldest tree d&' Italy is located right in Sardinia, in Luras, a town in the province of Olbia Tempio. This is an Olea europaea, an olive tree that, according to accurate university estimates, is more than 4,000 years old. This olive tree is about 14 meters tall, has a trunk circumference of 11 and a half meters and a crown diameter of 21 meters. It has become a real symbol for the community and is known as S'Ozzastru, which in Sardinian dialect means The Olive Tree or The Patriarch. According to experts, l&' olive tree has survived for so long thanks to its ability to adapt to the extreme weather conditions of Sardinia, such as strong wind and high summer temperatures

.

The oldest city d&' Europe

Many believe that Rome is the oldest city in Italy and Europe but in reality it is Sulky, now Sant'Antioco, which is located in the south of Sardinia where the remains and amphorae found in this area date back to 800 BC, much older than the Roman finds dated 753 BC, the year of Rome's birth. This testifies that Sulky was already an important commercial port that was already trading with the East

.

The myth of Atlantis

Sardinia could also be the home of the myth of Atlantis: the submerged city that many have tried to find. In fact, according to some theories, the mythical city that was submerged by water would be located here. Plato describes the kingdom of Atlas as “an island larger than Libya and Asia, powerful, civilized and sacred to Poseidon, god of the sea, and whose inhabitants were tower builders

.”

Sergio Frau, journalist and founder of this hypothesis, argues that all these characteristics can actually be found in Sardinia and not elsewhere. In the eyes of our ancestors, Sardinia seemed much larger than Sicily, but above all, thanks to the exceptionally mild climate, to &' abundance of water and the richness of forests, it was a territory that made it possible to produce three crops per year, essential for the survival of the population. #39 Not only that, l&' an abundance of metallic materials such as lead, zinc, silver, allowed the Thyrsenoi - the Tyrrhenians ed. - to build tall towers, the so-called nuraghi. Cos&' did it happen then? Unfortunately, only the story can be confirmed, but l&' the most accredited and probable hypothesis is l&' the arrival of a tsunami of enormous proportions that would have drowned the wonderful and flowery island of Atlantis under the mud

.

The tradition of the Accabadora, or Female Accabadora

L&' Accabadora is a figure present in the Sardinian tradition, who had the task of 'accompanying' the dying to their death. According to tradition, l&' Accabadora was a woman who was called to the home of a dying person to help them die in peace and in dignity, without suffering too much. It is said that this figure suffocated the victim or killed her with a stick. However, there is no shortage of those who argue that in reality the figure of the Accabadora was only a human and spiritual companion to the dying person and played no role in his death, and that the macabre side of tradition originated mainly from the stories told around fire. L&' Accabadora was still considered a respected figure in the community, and she used to receive compensation for her work, not from the victim's relatives, because this was contrary to religious dictation. His presence was seen as a sign of pity and respect for the dying, and his role was to help the person to move on from &' the other part in a quiet and painless way

.

However, in recent years, &' Accabadora has been at the center of numerous controversies and debates, as its role has often been associated with &' euthanasia and assisted suicide, illegal practices in Italy. Despite this, l&' Accabadora remains a figure present in the Sardinian tradition, and her role is still remembered and respected in some communities

of &' island.

The culinary tradition: from carasau bread to porceddu, from fregula to seadas

Sardinia is famous for its cuisine, which combines typical Mediterranean flavors and ingredients with Spanish, African and Catalan influences. Sardinian cuisine is mainly based on ingredients of local origin, such as fish, sheep and goat meat, and products from local crops, such as couscous, homemade pasta

and legumes.

Typical Sardinian dishes include: carasau bread, a type of thin and crunchy bread, made with durum wheat flour cooked twice in the oven, culurgiones, pasta ravioli filled with cheese, potatoes and mint, cooked in plenty of salted water and served with tomato and pecorino sauce, fregula, a pasta made from durum wheat semolina, which is cooked in boiling water and served with fish or vegetable soups, the porceddu, a piglet roasted on a spit, often prepared during holidays and celebrations, the malloreddus, a short pasta shaped like a cylinder, usually seasoned with sausage or lamb sauce, its coconut prena, a kind of focaccia stuffed with cheese, vegetables or meat, and pallotte with cicciara, lamb or goat meatballs, stewed with vegetables and

peas.

Among the desserts, we cannot fail to mention the seadas, puff pastry pancakes filled with cheese and honey, usually served hot as desserts and Bread &' and saba, a dessert made with durum wheat flour, raisins and spices.

Myrtle: the plant with an intense and aromatic scent

Last but not least, the mythical myrtle: an evergreen plant native to Sardinia and Corsica, known for its intense scent and red berries, used both for decorative and culinary purposes. Myrtle berries are harvested in late summer and used to prepare liqueurs, such as the famous “Sardinian Myrtle”. This liqueur is obtained from &' infusion of myrtle berries in pure alcohol, and is usually served as a digestive or as an accompaniment to desserts. Myrtle is also used in cooking to flavor meat, fish and vegetables, both fresh and dried. In addition, myrtle leaves are often used to flavor Sardinian bread “pane carasau” and to prepare herbal teas and infusions.

Now that you have discovered some interesting facts about Sardinia, all you have to do is taste its products and organize a wonderful trip!