Tiana among Watermills, Forests and Orbace Tradition

Tiana among Watercourses and Forests

Tiana lies in the Tino Valley at the point where it meets the Rio Torrei. The two watercourses form an inverted T-shape and flow into Lago Taloro. The location by the water provides the geographical setting; the forests around Tiana add a second landscape reference. Lago Taloro thus marks the shared destination of the two watercourses.

Le vie dell’acqua and the Use of Water Power

The museum of industrial archaeology Le vie dell’acqua comprises a watermill and two fulling mills, which are still fully operational. The watermill was used to grind grain grown in the valleys of Tiana. During a guided tour of Le vie dell’acqua, both the fulling mills and the watermill are put into operation. The three facilities represent different work processes: grain was ground in the watermill, while the fulling mills were used to full Orbace. Visitors interested in culture can distinguish the processing of grain from the processing of wool here, using two different types of mill.

Orbace between Milling History and Clothing

The fulling mills of Le vie dell’acqua were built in the 18th century and were used to full Orbace, a fabric made from sheep’s wool. Tiana is associated with the Orbace tradition. Orbace has been used historically and is still used today for traditional winter clothing. Sheep’s wool is the starting material for the fabric; traditional winter clothing represents a present-day use of the fabric. The former work in the fulling mills and the current use of Orbace therefore belong to different periods in textile history.

Forests and Former Livestock Routes

Holm oaks, downy oaks, cork oaks and chestnut trees grow in the forests around Tiana. The routes into the forests of Tiana follow paths that were formerly used for livestock transhumance. The former use of the paths remains explicitly historical; no current operating or access regulations can be inferred from it. The tree species describe the present-day natural environment, while transhumance refers to an earlier form of livestock farming. Anyone incorporating the forest paths into their plans should therefore not equate them with proven modern infrastructure.

Sant’Elena and the Coli Coli Tradition

The parish church of Sant’Elena in Tiana is Late Gothic. The Coli Coli carnival in Tiana takes place on the first day of Lent. During the Coli-Coli tradition, on Ash Wednesday the “Intintos” blacken the faces of people they encounter with charcoal. For visitors interested in culture, a Late Gothic church and a local tradition with a fixed date thus stand side by side.

Bread from Agrarian-Pastoral Cuisine

Tiana’s agrarian-pastoral culinary tradition includes the types of bread pane fresa and pane carasau. The grain grown in the valleys of Tiana and the two types of bread connect cultivation and cuisine with the historic milling process of the watermill. Local bread culture can thus be described through specific products and a traditional processing step.

Discover More Places

If you would like to discover more places besides Tiana, you can also visit Capo Comino, Torpè, Galtellì, Bitti, Bolotana, Ollolai, Meana Sardo and Sorgono.

To the broader travel overview: Nuoro.