E Petre Scritte, the mysterious carved stones of Silvareccio
We take a look today at a curiosity hidden in the woods, “E Petre Scritte”. This sentence means “the written stones” in Corsican language and refers to small monoliths we still can witness. Their true origin remains unprecise but one thing is sure: the stones, the place, and the atmosphere are worth a little visit if you are wandering in Castagniccia.
Were to, captain?
To discover the Petre Scritte, we have to head toward the village of Silvareccio, in the valley of the Ampugnani. The most common way to get to Silvareccio is to reach Folelli (east coast, northern part) and follow the D506, and then the D306 in the direction of Casalta. The starting point of the brief walk to the Petre Scritte stands right here, as you can see in Google Maps.
Be aware though that the D306 is a narrow road and that you barely can’t park a car near the starting point of the walk. There is room for one or two. So, unless you’re arriving on a bike, you may need to find a parking spot elsewhere. Then why not take the opportunity to visit the village of Silvareccio at the same time? You will easily find some parking spots in the upper part of the village and from there, all you have to do is to walk down the one-way street (passing in front of the village’s church) to get to the departure of the path. If you go where we indicate it on Google Maps, you will see a sign indicating “E Petre Scritte”.
E Petre Scritte, testimony of the secret society “I Carbonari”?
It takes only 15 minutes of walk to reach the glade where three of the original carved stones remain. The path is almost entirely plain, clean, and offers a nice view of the village of Silvareccio and the valley. Needless to say that, as soon as you enter the glade, the atmosphere feels special. Even more special when you know that it was used during the XIXth century by the “Carbonari” for some meetings. This secret society, born in Italy during the XIXth century, was quite active in Corsica at those times. Among having participated in numerous actions in Italy, France, and Spain to influence political decisions, the Carbonari are known for their active participation in the unification of Italy.
The three “Petre Scritte” remaining in the glade are said to have been carved by those Carbonari. Some of the symbols are those of the secret society: the sun, the moon, the cross, and the five-pointed star. We can also see a form that seems to refer to a compass, another primary symbol of the Carbonari. Looking at those stones feels like taking part in some mysterious experience, somewhere between space and time. You should give it a try!
