The “Sartiglia”, since 1200 in Oristano the sword pierces the star

The Sartiglia of Oristano is one of the most important folkloristic event awaited in Sardinia. Every year, on the Sunday of Carnival dozen thousands visitors gather in Oristano to attend the festival imported around 1200 by the Aragoneses.

It is a knightly show that in the past was a reserved only to Oristano's most important families. Through the years, it has then become such a popular event that in the XVI century the “farmers' Gremio” was established in order to ensure the funds for the event organization. Later on the “carpenter' Gremio” was in charge of collecting the money for the Tuesday (Mardi') of Carnival Sartiglia.

The “Gremi” were artisan corporations with the aim of controlling the quantity and quality of the products, in accordance with precise norms. As the tradition, on the day of the Candelora, there is the nomination of “su Componidori”, the head of the race (capo-corsa), that will be join by his two trustful lieutenants: dressed according to the antique ritual of “de Su Connottu”, with a black top hut, a mask on the face and costumes decorated in puff and lace.

Along the path into the streets of the center ( for the occasion covered in tamped earth), the “Componidori” gallops on the saddle of his steed towards the pierced six-point star, hanging by a thread: he will have to center it with his sword, riding the horse (other knights use a long wooden stick called “su stoccu”). According to the tradition, the number of stars the horsemen manage to get indicates how lucky or unlucky the following year will be especially in regard of the land fertility and the harvest.

Su Componidori starts the race (from Mannu square, at the point in which there was the Palazzo dei Giudici, in the Middle Agel) and at the end (arrival in front of the Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral), he blesses the crowd with a bunch of violets and periwinkle flowers (called “Sa Pippìa ‘e Maju”), a kind of floral scepter.

Su Componidori cannot get off the horse until the end of the race. After him, all the other knights participating to the Sartiglia have to challenge their abilities. Finally, the fabulous race of horses in pair, with acrobatic proofs of agility and equilibrium between two wings of spectators. The festival is enriched by the parade of women and men wearing traditional and medieval costumes.