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Porta Maggiore in Cantalupo in Sabina: the Bammocci That Were Worth More Than Water
Porta Maggiore, also known as Porta dell’Orologio (Clock Gate), is the main entrance to Cantalupo in Sabina, a medieval village in the province of Rieti. What makes it unique are two white marble statues, a little over one metre tall, depicting the deities Mercury and Minerva, affectionately known as the “Bammocci” by the locals (a dialect word akin to “puppets” or “figurines”). Minerva’s head is missing, but no one has ever thought of replacing it. They are part of the landscape just as they are.
The legend of the Bammocciari
The story goes that in the distant past someone offered the people of Cantalupo a choice: water or the Bammocci. They chose the statues. True or not, the tale has left its mark: to this day the town’s inhabitants are nicknamed “Bammocciari” (the people of the Bammocci). The name says much about the bond between the village and these two stone figures. The statues probably date from the 16th century, and are full-length figures, placed on either side of the gate: Mercury on the left, Minerva on the right.
