Salina
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The island is made of six volcanoes. The
most ancient ones found at Pizzo di Corvo, Monte Rivi and near Capo Faro
are
not easily recognizable in their morphological structure, while the stratum
volcanoes of Fossa delle Felci and
Monte dei Porri conserve an almost
perfect shape.
The latest eruption took place in the
west portion of the island, about thirteen
thousand years ago, and brought about
the crescent shaped crater of Pollara;
such activity, mainly explosive, produced great pumice deposits.
In various localities of the island one encounters endogenous activities. On
Monte Rivi (854 m. a.s.l.) one sees an ancient volcanic building, today for the
most part dismantled, made by lava of
andesitic and basaltic nature.
On the Fossa delle Felci (962 m. a.s.l.,
the highest summit of the Aeolian Archipelago), of typical conical shape,
opens up a crateric cavity, less ancient
than the preceding one, formed solely of
andesitic rocks. The remains of these
two craters are to be found in the
Eastern part of the island; in the
Western part one encounters as many
as three volcanic establishments: that
of Pizzo del Corvo formed by andesitic
lava, that of the Monte dei Porri formed
by andesitic and basaltic lava and finally
the crater of Pollara, in which one sees
the characteristic white pumice stone of
mica and orneblenda andesite. Of endogenous activity extinct since time
immemorial, there remain as modest
residues, certain post-volcanic phenomena and precisely the "sconcassi" and
a hot spring, which gushes in the Pertuso locality. The "sconcassi" appears
in the proximity of Rinella and consists
of an extensive underwater emanation
of gas (sulphurated hydrogen) and of
vapour. The exhalation, when accentuated, causes a disturbance of the sea
bed.
The high slopes of the island are
covered by ilexes, poplars, chestnut
trees and the typical Mediterranean
bush composed mainly of broom, myrtle, and strawberry trees. The medium
and lower slopes are, often terraced and
dotted with caper bushes, prickly pear
and various cultures such as: orchards,
olive groves and vineyards.
Amongst the products are worthy of particular mention the red wine for its
aroma and high alcoholic content and,
above all, the renowned white wine (malvasia), of which Salina is the largest
producer in the Archipelago, in consideration of the fact that in other islands
this
culture has been abandoned. The malvasia has a golden yellow colour, strong
aroma with a delicately sweet flavour.
The production of capers is considerable and is mainly exported.
Unfortunately various cultivable areas
are today abbandoned owing to lack of
labour caused by extensive transoceanic emigration (a phenomenon, on
the other hand, common to the other
sister islands of the Aeolian Archipelago) directed mainly towards the New
World. A circular trip around the island
offers indelible sights owing to its high,
sombre coasts, its characteristic immersed terraces, pleasant small
beaches and inhabited centres, the
typical small white houses, nestled
along the sea and half way up the coast.
The typical architecture of the houses of
the island has still not suffered
modification. The prevalent type of
habitation is represented by single
storey buildings with terrace roof, with
pergola supported by columns. Only in
the inhabited centres does one note
houses with an upper storey.
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Salina
Salina
