The Sibillini Mountains, located in the central Apennines, appear to be an inhospitable environment on the outskirts of the main communication routes between Italy and Central Europe.
Since ancient times, the area has had a scattered population that has exploited an agro-pastoral economy in close proximity to the more accessible areas of central Italy. The landscape formed by the interaction between communities and the territory is dynamic, bearing witness to historical and social transformations over the centuries. This evolution continues to this day.
As one of the most seismically active areas of the peninsula, the region has experienced similar catastrophes in the past. While these events have not prevented communities from returning to these areas, they have accelerated processes of marginalisation and increased community vulnerability. The 2016 earthquake, for example, highlights these processes in municipalities across the Sibillini Mountains territory.
Catastrophic natural events are a constant feature in the history of these continuously regenerating mountain landscapes, albeit with different dynamics in various eras. This strengthens the role of these landscapes as containers of identity and collective memory, where physical spaces are closely linked to cultural and historical meanings and can connect communities to their past.
Photo-reportage bearing witness to the days immediately following the 2016 earthquake