Page 160 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sardinia

158  SARDINIA AREA B Y AREA

i Pattada
Road map C2. * 3,800. n Town
Hall (079 75 51 14). _ 29 Aug: Santa
Sabina. ∑ comune.pattada.ss.it
Situated in the middle of a
territory rich in prehistoric
nuraghi and other vestiges
of the past, Pattada is world-
famous for the production
of steel knives, which began
here because of a rich vein
The Ruju nuraghe outside the village of Alà del Sardi of iron ore which has been
worked for centuries. The
u Alà dei Sardi scrub. Following signs to the village blacksmiths still carry
town of Monti, the route crosses on the tradition of making steel
Road map D2. * 2,000. n Buddusò
Town Hall (079 723 90 10). _ 4 Oct: a sizeable plateau studded blades, and handles from
country side feast day of San Francesco. with astonishingly varied animal horn, and dozens of
∑ comune.aladeisardi.ot.it rock formations. At a
fork, the road deviates
Rocks and maquis, and forests for the sanctuary of
of enormous cork oaks with the San Pietro l’Eremita,
characteristic marks of recent and passes through
stripping, make up the landscape some stunning
of Alà dei Sardi and its plateau, scenery, with gaps
the last tract of the rocky interior allowing occasional
overlooking the Bay of Olbia. views of the sea and
The main street of the village the unmistakable
is lined with the small granite profile of the island of
stone houses characteristic Tavolara (see p157) in
of this region. the distance. Every year
in August at Ferragosto
Environs (Assumption Day), the
Not far from Alà dei Sardi, restored Romanesque
off the road which leads to church of San Pietro
Buddusò, is the Ruju nuraghe, l’Eremita is crowded
with the remains of a prehistoric with pilgrims from the
village almost buried in the surrounding villages. The Sa Fraigada forest near Pattada

The Knives of Pattada
Sheath
The best-known style of shepherd’s knife made
in Pattada is the resolza (the word derives from
the Latin rasoria, or razor). The resolza is a jack-knife
with a steel blade that may be as much as 14 cm
(5 inches) long. The blacksmiths of Pattada only
use traditional materials. Steel is hammered into The handles are
shape in a forge and on an anvil; the handle is made of wood
made from wood, or from moufflon, sheep or deer horn. The or horn.
production of Pattada knives dates from the mid-19th century, and
the best knives are
still hand-made by The blade is
skilled craftsmen. made of hand-
Among the masters wrought steel.
at work today
some, like Salvatore
Giagu and Maria Rosaria Deroma, draw inspiration
from the oldest types of Pattada knives, such as the
fixed-blade corrina, which dates back to the 18th
century. It is not easy to find real Pattada knives on
sale, and you should avoid imitations. Production is a
slow and complicated affair, but it is possible to order
a Pattada knife to be made for you, although this
An assortment of Pattada knives procedure will take about a year.

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp178–9 and p189

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