More than an exhibition space, it’s a ‘treasure chest’ containing the memory and cultural identity of Aritzo and the villages on the western side of the Gennargentu. The Ecomuseum of the Sardinian Mountains is organised as a scattered museum, inside a village in the Barbagia di Belvì region, with its ‘epicentre’ in the ethnographic museum. You will find it surrounded by the greenery of the Pastissu park, proving the unbreakable bond between community and natural heritage, hence the name ‘ecomuseum’. Through the exhibition’s eight rooms, you will discover domestic environments, ancient trades, feminine ‘know-how’ and the use of resources offered by nature, without neglecting the relationship with spirituality and magical-religious beliefs.

Your journey begins by deepening your knowledge of the topic of pastoral culture. The first room describes the milk processing procedure and care of livestock. The most unusual object on display is su Giuramentu, a group of medallions with sacred images and a crucifix, used until a few decades ago to settle disputes regarding grazing and livestock. The second room shows two distinctive elements of the village: forest products, especially chestnuts, and the ancient activity of ‘travelling merchants’. The renowned products of Aritzo were often found in festivals and markets: nougat, wooden artefacts, hazelnuts, chestnuts and carapigna, a typical lemon sorbet made using ice obtained from snow. The third room is dedicated to wool. Every phase of its processing is described right up to the finished products, among which the colourful traditional clothes stand out. The fourth room represents a wax processing and candle production laboratory. You can continue by ‘entering’ a traditional home, with a kitchen, bread-making and chestnut-processing tools, equipment for taking care of linens, a collection of carved trunks and objects for children, such as cribs, walkers and toys. Trunks are the protagonists again in room 6: in particular, a type of carved trunk known as the ‘Aritzo trunk’ or the ‘Barbaricina trunk’, a traditional element of the wedding trousseau, is on display. The next rooms explore the Aritzo landscapes: the forest and its resources – fruit and wood –, agriculture and the activity of blacksmiths and farriers.

The other exhibitions linked to the ecomuseum will take you back in time: at Casa Devilla you can admire a home that belonged to a wealthy middle-glass family in the 19th century, while the Antonio Mura Museum exhibits works by the Aritzo-born painter, rich in references to the traditions and landscapes of Sardinia. Lastly, you will visit the Spanish prisons of sa Bovida, where there is a permanent exhibition on the subject of witchcraft and the Inquisition between the 15th and 17th centuries.