The Caprili Elbani to remind that pastoralism has been an important activity in western Elba since ancient times.
The people who in the sub-Apennine period (1100-900 BC) populated numerous slopes of Monte Capanne scattered in small villages, were devoted to sheep farming and weaving.
Walled stone
Caprili Elba Walled Stone
As shown in the 1868 census, the highest concentration of sheep on the Island of Elba was found on the southwestern side of Monte Capanne with a consistency of 3,036 heads out of a total of 5,122.
The caprilie was the structure used for the exercise of sheep farming: it consisted of a circular fence in dry masonry, 60-70 cm high, used for the shelter of the flocks and the domolito or grotto where the tools were kept for the preparation of ricotta and cheese and the shepherd sheltered himself from the weather.
Also in a drywall, with a circular section,
equipped with a small door and a small window, the domolito was covered by a false vault made with turns of stones progressively jutting inwards.
The technique, which the shepherds handed down from father to son, was widespread in a large area that goes from Ireland to the island of Malta, from Spain to Greece, where stone huts of the same type were built called: clochan in Ireland, cabane near Marseille, bunjia in Dalmatia, crot in Switzerland, girna in Malta, kazum in the Istrian peninsula, mantarah in Palestine.
The Caprile delle Macinelle and the two domolites
Elba Caprile delle Macinelle and the two domolites
The goats still present on our territory represent the memory of the world of shepherds “who, numerous until a relatively recent past, animated and made our mountain alive with their flocks when the valleys, from the Filicai to the Walls, from the Macinelle to Moncione , from Grottaccia to Vallebuia, their whistles and bleating of beasts roaming in the pasture echoed ”.
The streets of the shepherds, by combining different itineraries, allows you to visit 11 goats of different shapes still in good condition but sometimes far from the usual routes and therefore little known
The goats are: Caprusa from Chiusa Borsella, Caprile from Pernocco, Chiuso dei Bovi, Caprile from Murata Stone, Somersaults from Tozza al Protano, Caprile from Macinelle, Caprile from Collaccio Basso, Caprile from Collaccio Alto, Grottino from Guata, Caprile from Tozz ‘i Carletto, caprile of the Tre Cerri.
Caprile Elba – Collaccio Basso and Capo di Stella in the background
Caprile Collaccio Basso and Capo di Stella in the background
A visit to the Caprile La Capanna di Marco, reachable by following the paths of the Granite Paths, is worth a detour to the track: it is located in the Grottarelle area near the ancient granite quarries.
Caprili Elbani
Distribution of goats
Masso alla Guata (Quata)
Main kids from Elba:
Chiuso dei Bovi (Piane al Canale – San Piero)
Caprile del Collaccio Basso (Piane al Canale – San Piero in Campo) with a domolito
Caprile delle Macinelle (Piane al Canale San Piero) with two domolites made by the shepherd Mamiliano Martorella (1898-1973) around 1930
Caprile di Chiusa Borsella (San Piero in Campo) built by the brothers Giuseppe and Pietro Montauti
Caprile del Col di Paolo (San Piero in Campo)
Caprili del Sughereto (San Piero in Campo)
Caprile della Ficuccia (San Piero in Campo)
Caprile dei Tre Cerri (San Piero in Campo) with a domolito attributed to the shepherd Mamiliano Martorella (1898-1973)
Caprile di Pernocco (San Piero in Campo) with a domolito
Caprili of the Piane del Canale (San Piero in Campo)
Caprile di Pietra Murata (Piane al Canale – San Piero) with a domolito attributed to the shepherd Mamiliano Martorella (1898-1973)
Caprile di Tozza al Pròtano (San Piero in Campo) with a domolito
Caprile della Tozz’i Carletto (San Piero in Campo) with a domolito
Caprile della Tozza al Pagliaio (Sant’Ilario in Campo) with a domolito
Caprile della Grottaccia (Pomonte) with a domolito attributed to the Martorella family
Caprili delle Mure (Pomonte) with two domolites made by the pastor Evangelista Barsaglini (1923-2016) after 1972
Caprile di Olimpo (Pomonte)
Caprili dei Campitini (Pomonte) with a domolito
Caprili del Monte Orlano (Pomonte)
Caprili del Frate (Pomonte)
Caprile del Colle Popoino (Pomonte)
Caprile del Barione (Pomonte) with a domolito attributed to the Martorella family
Caprile di Tramontana (Pomonte) attested since 1820
Caprile di Canoso (Pomonte) with a domolito built by the Martorella family around 1945
Caprile del Monte Cenno (Pomonte) with a domolito made by the pastor Evangelista Barsaglini (1923-2016) after 1972
Caprile della Collìca (Pomonte) with a domolito attributed to the Martorella family
Caprile della Forca (Seccheto) with a domolito made by the shepherd Giuseppe Galli (1901-1977)
Caprili della Forca Bassa (Seccheto)
Caprili delle Piane alla Sughera (Seccheto)
Caprile della Calle (Seccheto)