aeolian islands history
Since ancient times the Aeolian islands have been considered fascinating and mysterious places. From Homer to Roman history , from eighteenth century travellers to modern day tourists, the seven islands in the archipelago have appeared and still appear as magic places where nature has reserved its own niche of uncontaminated beauty, amidst a thousand shades of blue sky and sea, amidst intense colours and intense perfumes, amidst shimmering lava and white pumice stone. Lands where legend intertwines with reality. But it’s not only the beauty of the landscapes and coasts which make the Aeolian Islands unique. A history and culture of millenniums which bestows them, in fact, a primary place in the Mediterranean world. Here Aeolus, mythical sovereign, dispenser of winds, chose to create his reign and before him other peoples, coming from Sicily, from the Italian peninsula, from the East and from Greece, were attracted by the resources of the dwelling place , by the mild climate and by the favourable geographical location.
The first inhabitants, arrived during Neolithic times around 4000 B.C. , were attracted by the presence of the black obsidian, that the volcanoes of the island of Lipari had emitted together with the white pumice stone. The obsidian, shiny and cutting like glass, was very precious as it was fashioned into arms and utensils and sold to other people. The Castle of Lipari soon became the stronghold of the islands, a real natural fortress with its walls facing directly onto the sea. Centuries later, when obsidian was no longer sought after, due to the discovery of metal, the exceptional geographical position of the Aeolian archipelago was the main reason for the arrival of travellers from different lands. The Aeolian Islands, in fact, between 2000 and 1000 B.C. with the Bronze Age, found themselves at the centre of the routes of commerce which covered the Mediterranean sea from the East to the West, following the path of the pool up till present day England, and established therefore important points of rest and supply, and also of mooring for navigators. Amongst these the first were actually those Eoli which the legends talk about which would have given the islands there name. At this time, apart from the main island, Lipari, important extended villages of stone shacks began to be built on Filicudi, Salina and Panarea, of which historical remains can still be seen today by visiting these extremely fascinating sites. The very famous Mycenaean civilization left its mark on the Aeolian Islands by constructing the most ancient thermal structure in the 15th century B.C., above the spring of beneficial sulphuric waters of the location of the hot springs of S. Calogero in Lipari. When the Greek colonies arrived in 580 B.C. to create new cities in Lipari and the other islands, The Aeolian Islands already had a history spanning millenniums.
The Greeks called Lipari Lipàra or Meligunìs, maybe because of the sweet climate; Salina Dydime, the twin, for its two mountains; Vulcano Hierà, sacred, for the active volcano considered the home of the god Efesto; Stromboli Strongyle, for its shape similar to a top; Alicudi Ericusa, the island of Erica; Filicudi Phenicusa and Panarea Hicesia, from the meaning which is still unknown. All the islands were inhabited in the Greek Age, except Vulcano, which at the time was fully active. Above all the city of Lipari was splendid, rich and prosperous in its way of life, culture and craftsmanship. It’s sufficient to think of the gorgeous hand-painted vases or the unique collection of small masks and theatrical artefacts in the burial sites of the archaeological ruins. The acropolis, or the real heart of the city, was the Castle, where today the home of one of the most important Archaeological Museums in Europe is situated. The museum is named after the great archaeologist Luigi Bernabò Brea who together with Madeleine Cavalier dedicated his life to the discovery of the treasures of the archipelago. Visiting the Castle of Lipari, the five pavilions of the Museum and the area of the archaeological park is like leafing through a history book and finding page after page rich in every moment and every occurrence from the past up till the present.