In the heart of north‑eastern Sicily stretches the Nebrodi mountain chain, a landscape of high ground, forests and pastures overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Here, stone has not only shaped the routes of animals and shepherds, but has also given form to small, compelling structures: the tholos, locally known as cubburi.
These buildings punctuate the Nebrodi pastures and stand as a discreet symbol of an economy tied to the seasonal movements of livestock and people, rather than to ancient necropolises or funerary monuments.
What Are the Tholos / Cubburi of the Nebrodi
From an architectural perspective, the tholos of the Nebrodi are small circular dry‑stone structures, built without mortar and characterised by a pseudo‑dome created through the progressive inward projection of stones. Arranged in concentric rings that narrow toward the top, the stones form a stable closure based solely on static balance and skilled construction. Inside, the space is minimal: a single chamber, cool in summer and sheltered from the wind, often with a low entrance oriented to reduce exposure to the elements.
In Sicily, the most common local term for these structures is cubburo (plural cubburi). Across the Nebrodi landscape they appear either isolated or in small clusters, set among pastures, rocky ground and clearings. Their function is rural: temporary shelters for shepherds, small storage spaces for tools, refuges during transhumance or during long working days far from the village.
From a typological point of view, the cubburi belong to the broader Mediterranean tradition of dry‑stone construction, a widespread building knowledge adapted to local materials. By formal analogy they recall other dry‑stone architectures, such as the trulli of Apulia, yet they remain rooted in practical use and in a mountain pastoral economy, with techniques transmitted orally and adapted to the terrain.
Terminological clarification: in archaeology the term tholos also refers to dome‑shaped tombs from prehistoric or protohistoric periods. In the Nebrodi context, the word is used in a descriptive and formal sense to indicate the pseudo‑domed shape and does not automatically imply a funerary function.
Where the Tholos Are Found in the Nebrodi
Tholos and cubburi are encountered in the inland areas of the central Nebrodi, within a mountain landscape of high‑altitude pastures, clearings and ancient rural tracks that still shape the territory today. Their distribution appears concentrated within a relatively limited area (around 90 km², indicative value), with more evident concentrations in the municipalities of Floresta, Montalbano Elicona, Raccuja and San Piero Patti, along ridges and pastoral basins where stone naturally outcrops and has favoured dry‑stone building.
Floresta
Floresta, among the highest municipalities in Sicily, preserves numerous cubburi scattered across the surrounding pastures. Walking through meadows and dry‑stone walls, one encounters small structures with low entrances and a single chamber, designed to provide shelter from wind and temperature variations. Documented use is rural: seasonal refuge for shepherds, tool storage and stopping point during summer grazing. Their distribution is not monumental but diffuse, integrated into the traditional agricultural landscape.
Montalbano Elicona
Within the territory of Montalbano Elicona, the presence of tholos is recorded in several rural districts—Preda, Monte Castellazzo, Piano Danzi, Portella Zilla, Taffuri, Pellizzaro and Monte delle Cerase—where pastures, woods and marginal cultivation alternate across slopes and plateaus. Here the structures appear sometimes isolated, sometimes in small clusters, embedded in contexts of pastoral use and temporary occupation of the land. The variety of locations suggests local adaptations to grazing needs and seasonal routes.
Raccuja and San Piero Patti
In the territories of Raccuja and San Piero Patti, tholos also appear either isolated or in small groups, often along secondary paths and ancient rural connections. Their placement, far from built‑up centres and close to grazing areas, is consistent with use linked to seasonal mobility and traditional agricultural practices. Field observation reveals sober constructions, perfectly integrated into the terrain and into the historical web of pastoral routes.
The Tholos Route
To enhance and make this dispersed heritage accessible, a path known as the Tholos Route has been identified, crossing some of the most representative areas of the central Nebrodi, where pastures, clearings and mountain ridges still preserve the imprint of traditional pastoral activity. Walking along high‑altitude trails and rural tracks, cubburi appear within their original setting: small stone architectures immersed in the silence of grasslands, often visible only at the last moment as they emerge among rocky outcrops and dry‑stone walls. The experience is not monumental but landscape‑based, defined by slow observation and a close relationship with the territory.
The route has no regulated entrances or fixed visiting hours, as the structures are freely distributed within the landscape and do not form a museum site. Access occurs mainly through hiking, nature itineraries or guided treks organised by local associations and hiking groups. In some sections, paths coincide with ancient pastoral routes, reinforcing the historical reading of the landscape and the link between these constructions and traditional agro‑pastoral practices.
When to Go and Practical Advice
The best time to visit the Tholos of the Nebrodi is spring or autumn, when the climate is mild and the pastures are more accessible. In summer, temperatures can be high during the central hours of the day, while in winter some internal roads may become difficult to travel.
It is advisable to approach the itinerary with trekking shoes, adequate water supplies and reliable mapping. Many tholos are not precisely signposted and are located far from paved roads, making the experience particularly suited to travellers who appreciate slow, conscious exploration of the landscape.
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About the Author: Marco Crupi
