Abbasanta

History

In Roman times, the town, called Ad Medias, was in the territory of the Æchilenenses or Cornenses. The village was built all around the two churches of Santa Amada and Santa Caterina (dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria). There was a clear separation between social classes. Until the 1950s the use of Italian and Sardinian language had distinct and complementary functions. Italian was the official language, used by the public administration, while Sardinian was the language spoken at home and among friends. The characteristic expressions of the dialect are usually inspired by the peasant and pastoral world. Many proverbs refer to the values of honesty, friendship, fidelity (of the woman), loyalty, parsimony and obedience to the divine will.

Geography

Abbasanta sits on a lava plateau rich in cork oaks, olive trees and ' (mastic trees). The plateau arose from the lava flow of the Montiferru volcano. The landscape of the lava plateau is characterised by pastures that are enclosed by stone walls that surround the ' built in the 18th century. In the surrounding countryside, there are still some typical shelters () made of stones and boughs by the shepherds. Abbasanta borders the municipalities of Ghilarza, Norbello, Paulilatino, and Santu Lussurgiu.

Most-observed species

• Borage

  Borago officinalis L. · Magnoliopsida
  28
• Hooded Crow

  Corvus cornix Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  27
• Mastic Tree

  Pistacia lentiscus L. · Magnoliopsida
  27
• Pink-butterfly Orchid

  Anacamptis papilionacea (L.) R.M.Bateman, Pridgeon & M.W.Chase · Liliopsida
  25
• corn bunting

  Emberiza calandra Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  25
• Three-cornered Garlic

  Allium triquetrum L. · Liliopsida
  23
• Common Smilax

  Smilax aspera L. · Liliopsida
  21
• European Goldfinch

  Carduelis carduelis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  19

Most recent

• M 3.5 — 2001-12-20
  2 km NNW of Santu Lussurgiu, Italy