Abstract
In Sardinia, pastoralism has been at the heart of cultural identity for millennia. Such activity has shaped the landscape by sustainably managing its elements over the centuries. We conducted 30 semi-structured interviews regarding the uses of wild plants as well as their contribution to sheep breeding over the last few decades in two villages of Barbagia di Ollolai. We recorded the use of 73 taxa belonging to 35 families. Over one-third of the vernacular food taxa were mentioned as raw snacks. Specifically, 22% were used only as raw snacks, while another 22% were used as raw snacks in addition to other uses. Indeed, there is a subcategory of raw snacks represented by thistle plants, named cardu, referring to thorny herbaceous taxa. Cardu are often related to the pastoral realm in the Mediterranean Basin as they are gathered, often with the help of a knife, peeled with the blade, and consumed on the spot while grazing sheep, but ultimately, their crunchiness provides a pleasant chewing experience. In addition, cardu may have been used as thirst quenchers. We conclude that pastoral activity has significantly contributed to the development of a distinctive food heritage and cultural landscape.
Highlights
Transhumance, a form of pastoralism rapidly declining in Mediterranean and Alpine areas, has recently been added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
In Sardinia, pastoralism has been at the heart of cultural identity for millennia
In Sardinia, the second largest island of the Mediterranean Basin, pastoralism has been at the heart of local cultural identity for millennia [7–9]
Summary
Transhumance, a form of pastoralism rapidly declining in Mediterranean and Alpine areas, has recently been added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. UNESCO has recognized the crucial role of such traditional ecological practices and associated knowledge in shaping relationships among people, animals and the surrounding ecosystem. Pastoral societies often possess a rich variety of traditional ecological knowledge, practices and beliefs (TEK) [1–4]. In Sardinia, the second largest island of the Mediterranean Basin, pastoralism has been at the heart of local cultural identity for millennia [7–9]. This is still evident in those Sardinian inland areas, like Barbagia, where sheepherding is a daily activity for the majority of families. In addition to the importance of the TEK held by shepherds for landscape maintenance, pastoralism may be crucial in shaping food habits. As highlighted by Rivera et al [12], there is a plurality of dietary patterns under the denomination of the Mediterranean Diet, and the diet developed by the pastoral societies of this area of Barbagia is part of such multiplicity
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