Abstract
In taking an integrated ethnopedological approach, this study aims to investigate the meaning of the distribution of the toponyms used in traditional and recent cartography of Sardinia (southern Italy). It is particularly, but not only, focused on those related to soil resources. Sardinia is particularly interesting in this respect, as its unique history, geography, and linguistic position makes it one of the Italian and Mediterranean regions with the greatest number of toponyms. This research investigated the toponyms belonging to an important sub-region of Sardinia, called Ogliastra (central-eastern Sardinia). The research was conducted through the following integrated approach: i) toponymy research and collection from different sources; ii) database creation and translation of toponyms from the Sardinian language (SL); iii) categorization of toponyms; and iv) graphical, statistical, and cartographic data processing. Distribution and diversity of toponyms were assessed using the compiled database, coupled with a geographical information system (GIS). Of around 7700 toponyms collected, 79% had already been reported in SL, while just 21% were in Italian. Of the toponyms in SL, 77% are of known meaning and 54% of these toponyms were characterized by a meaning directly and/or indirectly connected to specific environmental features. On the whole, morphology would appear to be the primary environmental factor able to explain the complex, articulated presence, distribution, and typology of the investigated toponyms. A least squares regression analysis of pedodiversity vs. topodiversity shows a very closed distribution, with an impressive high correlation index (R2 = 0.824). The principal factor analysis (PFA) shows that such a connection may be morphologically based, thereby confirming that pedodiversity and topodiversity are strongly linked each other. Overall, the research shows that an integrated ethnopedological approach, combining indigenous and scientific knowledge may be of great interest in order to mitigate the impressive phenomena of the indigenous knowledge lost.
Highlights
Ethnoecology [1] is the cross-cultural study of how people perceive and manipulate their environments
As a part of ethnoecology, ethnopedology [4], is a hybrid discipline structured as the combination of natural and social sciences, such as soil science, social anthropology, rural geography, agronomy, and agro-ecology [5]
This study aims to take an integrated ethnopedological approach to investigate the meaning of the distribution of the toponyms used in traditional and recent cartography of the region of Sardinia
Summary
Ethnoecology [1] is the cross-cultural study of how people perceive and manipulate their environments It has traditionally focused on linguistic analyses of terms for plants, animals, habitats, and other ecological phenomena in a bid to reveal underlying structures of the human mind that influence human behaviour [2]. Ethnopedology aims to document and increase understanding of local approaches to soil perception, classification, appraisal, use, and management [6]. This discipline deals with the consideration that pedodiversity is strongly related, not merely to physical-chemical behaviour and soil taxonomic properties, and to anthropic management, historical uses, cultural practices and, the whole of the indigenous knowledge that characterizes a specific area
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