Caprile and the Pietra Murata cave
Caprile di Pietra Murata one of the most unique and panoramic Capriles, the small cave is located at the foot of an enormous granite boulder, the view of the coast and the islands close to Elba and the mountains are lovely.
The Caprile
The Caprile was the structure used for the practice of sheep-rearing: it was made up of a circular enclosure in dry masonry, 60-70 cm high, used to shelter the flocks and the domolito or small cave where the tools for sheep farming were kept. preparation of ricotta and cheese and the shepherd sheltered himself from the bad weather. Also made of drywall, with a circular section, equipped with a small door and a small window, the domolito was covered by a false vault made with rows of stones progressively projecting towards the inside.
Caprile di Pietra Murata leaning against a huge monolith
The Pietra Murata caprile leans against a large monolith. The locality was probably the site of a Bronze Age settlement, as shown by the findings of fragments ceramics with a characteristic coarse texture, belonging to household pottery and kettles, referable to the so-called sub-Apennine culture (1100-900 BC). These people, who dotted the Monte Capanne massif with small villages, were dedicated to sheep farming and weaving. The housing structures were represented by elliptical huts with branches covering plastered with clay. It is common for caprili to have been systematically rebuilt in ancient settlement sites.
360° view Caprile Pietra Murata