The legend of Capitana

For many people it is just a beautiful stretch of coastline on the road to some of the most beautiful beaches in the province of Cagliari. A touristic resort, but also a year-round inhabited place by nature lovers. The white sandy beach is increasingly consumed by the embrace of the crystal clear waters; villas, sometimes stylish, sometimes simple, climbed on the hills, are opposed to what still remains of the rural past that for centuries has dominated the scene. Once it was one of the stages of summer night life, but the crisis has consumed the clubs, pizzerias and so was the setting for recreation.
 

Simplicity, luxury, peace, fun, history and legend, are nouns that can tell the place. The last two are the most interesting. As for the story, Capitana has an important archaeological site. The Nuraghe Diana is located thirty meters from the sea on Is Mortorius hill. The cape takes its name from the quarantine hospital that was located on the pebble beach. In the territory of Quartu, of which this land is part of the compendium, the nuraghes are about forty; evidence of human presence in the area from about six thousand years ago.
 

The nuraghe is ranked among those of complex type, three towers, one higher than the others; the complex stretched up the slopes of the cliff, it is now broken by the road. A structure built as a fortress of sighting, destination of use exploited over the centuries up to the last war. An archaeological area underestimated and undervalued. Real qualifiers interventions are dated back to 2000. Today it is one of the many misunderstood and set aside archaeological sites in the region. Two acres of land on which there were a tuna trap and a former quarantine hospital.

The legend of Capitana is very charming. Rossana Copez and Giovanni Follesa have enclosed the charm of the places in the book "Terra Mala" name of another piece of coast that belongs to this territory. The novel talks about of sleepless nights of Adele, her nightmares that interfere with the reality of her daily life. Thanks to regressive hypnosis, healing technique used by many Americans psychotherapists, that in Italy is mostly considered akin esoteric rather than science, the protagonist discovers a story of that is not of her own life. It comes to light one of her past lives, the thrilling legend of Capitana is a character, even if only of ink.


The authors draw a real place with words and with imagination they embody a legend. What we know is certainly true is the stage. The crystal clear and rebel sea appears to be the real star, the wild nature but harmonious in colors and fragrances seems to scent the pages.
 

The legend is set in the period of the Barbaresque pirates raids, historical events effectively happened in Sardinia, the southeast coast of the island has been the most troubled. It tells of a pirate, captain of a crew, who was madly in love with his slave and that he had made his equal. The pirate and his partner, called the Capitana, lived by plundering the coasts of the island. The wealths stolen by them would have been hidden in land, near the Nuraghe Diana.


However, it would be too risky to involve a woman to raids across the seas, such that the in love pirate decided to leave her on shore with his faithfuls to guard the treasure. It is said that the Capitana, besides being beautiful was also kind and generous and that the locals would bring the respect. One day the ship sailed for the last time. 
From that day the Capitana begun waiting for his beloved taking no peace. It is said that her soul is still there between the stones of the nuraghe, in eternal penance. A legend so plausible to the reality that many people believe is a fact really happened, so that many ventured in search of treasure and some died looking for it.

A story of love and adventure that has nothing to envy to many films set in exotic Caribbean locations depicting events of piracy of the eighteenth century.


Perhaps, if one day the treasure will be discovered the legend will be promoted to a true story, but today we have no evidence to say that the Capitana existed, even though this story is so strongly rooted in popular culture that, after centuries even if speaks, still it identifies a place and on it are written the books.


For now, the real treasure is the beauty of a place that can easily compete with tourist destinations overseas.