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Where the Earth Quakes

Sibillini Mountains, March, on going

Among the communities of the central Apennine mountains, the ancient legend of the Sibyl is told.
A woman, good fairy, seer and enchantress, who lived in a cave on the top of the mountain that today is named after her: Mount Sibilla.
According to the local tradition, the Sybil provoked an intense earthquake in the town of Pretare.
The fairies, her maids, remained to dance in the village all night, beyond the time allowed for the return to the cave. The priestess was a reference for the inhabitants of the mountains and for anybody who went up to the cave to meet her.
Since 69 AD many people are reported to have ascended to meet the priestess who predicts the future.
In this land pagan and religious cults have intertwined. Today the cave is inaccessible, since 1960 the access tunnel has completely collapsed. The story ends and the legend begins.

      

  
Foce di Montemonaco, a small mountain village at the foot of Mount Sibilla. Rugged and difficult to reach lands in the Apennine hinterland. November, 2017 The Sibilla cave, photograph of the last excavation campaign before the access tunnel collapses. 1953, Municipality of Montemonaco. Strada della Sibilla, built in the 60s with the aim of bringing motorized tourism to the top of the mountain. After the strong earthquake of 2016, it’s partly collapsed. November, 2017. The coldest season is coming. Wood is stacked for the winter. Montegallo, November, 2017 Alessandra, a young woman, in the small village where the road to the Sibilla Mountain starts.  She is doing her job for the Civil Service to the Municipality taking care of the protection of artistic assets damaged by the earthquake of 2016. Full moon night, in the village of Montegallo. In such remote places, the night sky becomes very dark and only the moon illuminates the narrow and impervious mountain roads. The door closes in Vallegrascia. The last inhabitant woman left in the village after the earthquake returns home, the workday is over.  Fragment of a fresco on the apse wall of the Church of Santa Maria in Pantano, also called the Church of Sibille for the frescoes it contains.This Romanesque church has completely collapsed after the earthquake in 2016 and with it the frescoes of the priestesses also collapsed.
Top of mount Sibilla, beginning of the path that leads to the cave.
aislab 2020— Milan, Italy
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