The land of Oliena has been inhabited ever since remote times, thanks to its peculiar natural and geographical position. The various caves in the area have given back some of the most ancient finds on the island, including a human from the Upper Paleolithic – 22.000 years ago. This fantastic find comes from the Corbeddu Cave and others, which proved uninterrupted human presence in the area since the Middle Neolithic.

Human presence in prehistoric and protohistoric times is well documented in the area, especially around the Lanaitho valley:

• In the Recent Neolithic Age through the Guano cave finds, and through the collective burials known all around Sardinia as Domus de janas (fairies’ homes);
• In the Copper Age through the pivotal Sa Sedda ’e Biriai village and sanctuary, which belongs to the Monte Claro Culture;
• In the Bronze Age through the numerous finds of the Bonnànaro Culture, which includes the famous Giants’ Tombs;
• In the Nuragic Age through the 36 nuraghes found in the area (20 of which are surrounded by built-up areas), and the superlative Sa Sedda ’e sos Carros village

We find some inhabited areas during the Roman age, particularly in the valley of the Cedrino river just down the Corrasi Mountain and on the other side facing the Lanaitho valley. Its namesake mountain enshrouds the village of Tiscali, and it is undoubtedly one of the most evocative places. Romanisation in the centre of Sardinia was long and exhausting for the conquerors. With the rupture of the Western Empire, the island will go through a very peculiar Middle Age.

First, though, Sardinia had to face a brief, mainly coastal occupation by the Vandals and the Byzantine conquest between 533 and 534 AC during the reign of Justinian.

Simultaneous to the byzantine occupation, there’s news of the existence of an independent entity within the Mountains of the Barbagias. But, unfortunately, the information about it is relatively scarce. The lack of factual information makes it hard to tell how long Byzantium controlled the island or how autonomous where the various governances during the end of the first millennia.

What is known for sure is that when history gets clearer at the end of the XI century, the political situation in Sardinia is unique. We find four peer reigns calls giudicato (jury), with each ruled by a king called judge – it would be correct to use its Sardinian name judike.

The four states, having divided the territory uniformly, are Torres (in the North-West, around the area of today’s Sassari), Gallura (North-East, around today’s Olbia), Arborea (South-West, around Oristano) and Càlari (South, the location of today’s Cagliari). The very vulnerable position of Oliena, once belonging to the jury of Gallura, is quite close to all four reigns.

After some stability, the infiltration in Sardinia of foreign entities, especially those tied to activities of the most influential figures in the powerful marine cities of Pisa and Genoa, brought some tensions which escalated more and more, getting to the fall of three kingdoms in the ’200. The last one, the jury of Arborea, fell in the ’400 while fighting a long battle against the Catalan-Aragonese (the most powerful fleet in the Mediterranean Sea).

In 1324 the territory of Gallura’s jury was directly controlled by Pisa. The Catalan-Aragonese (who allied with the reign of Arborea to counteract Pisa) started a battle which they won just outside Oliena – an area which could be inhabited today – against the Tuscan army.

In the beginning successfully led by Mariano IV and then by his sons Ugone III and Eleonora of Arborea – the Sardinian-Aragonese war put an end to the Island’s independence. Still, it also determined the end of the Catalan dynasty: Martin the Young, who died of malaria in Cagliari, will leave no heirs and a throne weakened by a long conflict.

The marriage of Isabel of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragona, and the unification of the two reigns, leads Sardinia under control of a new entity: the Spanish Empire.

The Iberic domination brings along feudalism (a phenomenon unknown to Sardinians up to that point) as well as a new institutional asset: the reign of Sardinia, founded artificially in 1297 by Pope Bonifacio VIII, and a new reality within the empire. During this phase, the village of Oliena belongs to the administrative region called “Ogliastra’s jury”.

In 1644 Mendoza, the Province Father of the Jesuits, is in Oliena under the invitation of priest Giovanni Angelo Salis, and he spends enthusiastic words about the village: “The land is good and fertile, the climate very healthy, and life is as good as it can be in the kingdom; the people docile, reserved, devote”. Salis, who was Rector of Dorgali and chief of the Holy Inquisition, supported vehemently – and subsequently obtained – the founding of a college of Jesus’s Company in his native land, using his assets and high income to make it real.

The foundation of the college gave great momentum to the entire area: a village of 1500 people had people of the church coming in, along with doctors, notaries, chancellors, lawyers, scribes and poets; there were artists, craftsmen, goldsmiths, carpenters, embroiders, tanners and blacksmiths; this gave great momentum to the agricultural economy as well.
The urban structure of the village changed during this time, and even a century after the dissolution of the order, the beauty of its buildings, orchards, vineyards and olive yards would enchant the passersby who described them as the “gardens” and “paradise” of Sardinia.

In the ’700 the Island came under the control of the Counts and Dukes of Savoy. Their dominance was ill endured by Sardinians, who revolted against them at the end of the century – a revolt repressed in blood. For Oliena, this time represents a cultural, social and economic decay, which led firstly to its annexe to the states of the mainland (the duchy of Savoy, including the Piedmont principality), and eventually to that of the Italian state.

Oliena treasured its history and its work culture, and during the times, it had many ways to make itself known and value. Its name is still kept in high regard when it comes to the quality of its products, as well as the hospitality of its people, who were always ready to set up genuine and warn relations with visitors throughout history.