Castancoli, wild rosemary, red partridge and granite
Castancoli (overlying Cavoli), area bushy, mostly made up of wild rosemary where it is not unlikely to come across groups of red-legged partridges; here we are in the center of the kingdom of Elban granite, extracted since ancient times.
Shepherding has also left its memories, as we are reminded by the goats and grottini that we find in the western area of Elba.
The Grottino domolito pastorale or grottino, as it is called by our shepherds, is a dry masonry construction used since time immemorial as a refuge and place for the production of ricotta and simple cheeses; combined with the fenced or closed, it formed the classic caprile. It had a circular plan with a roof made of rings of jutting stones, protruding inwards, which progressively make up a sort of dome impervious to water, but at the same time sufficiently ventilated to allow the lighting of the fire.
L The entrance is oriented so as to be sheltered from the prevailing winds of the place; there is often a small opening to give more light inside. The very ancient construction technique is widespread throughout the Mediterranean area; similar is the girna, typical of Malta, and the pinnètta in Sardinia.
