Saturday, January 22, 2022

Rebeccu, a Sardinian Ghost Town?


If you look up Rebeccu on Wikipedia [1], you will find a small article in Italian. Rebeccu has a zip code (07012) but no inhabitants. I walked there and wanted to see the ghost town and of course the ancient fountain (la fonte sacra di Su Lumarzu).


Rebeccu had been a thriving little town in the 14th century, but has been declining since the 15th century. During the Era of the Judicates Rebeccu was the capital of the curatoria of Costa de Addes (or Costavalle) and the residential seat of the Curator. As there had been four kingdoms or judicates, which are still depicted on the flag of Sardinia (and also on the label of Ichnusa Beer); so travelling in Sardinia you also see history if you look with some background knowledge. There have been invasions, people moved to the more fertile grounds in the plains around, and malaria might have reduced the population in the 15th century [2], Wikipedia has “plagues and famines”.


There has been a curse on the the town, of course! (Thanks for waiting so patiently!) The Princess Donoria had been banned (not burned) because of alleged witchcraft and cursed the town: “Rebeccu, Rebecchei da ‘e trinta domos non movei” (That Rebeccu does not exceed thirty houses) [3]. With only less than 100 inhabitants in 1928 Rebeccu was incorporated into Bonorva. 2007 there had been 1 inhabitant and today there is none left.


However, the land around and the houses are owned and maintained. The is a church in the village,which is open for prayers, there is a chapel beneath the village, there is the famous well, a picnic spot. I don't think it's a ghost town as there's still much life – during daytime that is!





The Chiesa di Santa Giulia is a small church [4], which had formerly been named Santa Maria in Rebeccu. The church is maitained and it looks as if people regularly pray there, but I doubt that there is a regular mass. Maybe they have a festivity with mass on May 22nd, as this is the date on which Santa Giulia is remembered [5], she is said to have lived from 420 until 450, but according to other sources she liven during the 6th or 7th century.

The Chiesa di San Lorenzo di Rebeccu is a small chapel, which I saw walking from Bonorva to  Rebeccu. The Wikipedia article gives more infomation on this little church, which looks abandoned amidst a sheep pasture, than on the Chiesa di Santa Giulia [6]; please have a look for yourself.


I would haved liked to see la Fonte di Su Lumarzu [7]. The fountain has been embedded in regular rows of carefully squared basalt ashlars already during the Nuragic age. It is just 300 m east of the village, but you have obtain the consent of the owner. I wish, I could tell you how.



Links and Annotations:
[1] https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebeccu
[2] http://virtualarchaeology.sardegnacultura.it/index.php/en/archaeological-sites/periodo-nuragico/necropoli-di-sant-andrea-priu/detailed-sheets/3753-il-villaggio-di-rebeccu
[3] https://www.sardiniamagicexperience.com/ghost-towns-of-sardinia/
[4] https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiesa_di_Santa_Giulia_(Bonorva)   
[5] https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giulia_di_Corsica
[6] https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiesa_di_San_Lorenzo_di_Rebeccu
[7] http://www.sardegnacultura.it/j/v/253?s=21393&v=2&c=2488&c1=2126&t=1

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