Pantellerija

Pantelleria rises from the Strait of Sicily between the island of Sicily and the North African coast. Volcanic rock, scarce fresh water and terraced cultivation shape its landscape, while many place names preserve the language of its Arabic-speaking past. Norman rulers took the island in the twelfth century, but its position left it exposed to raids across the strait. In the middle of the sixteenth century attacks devastated settlements and carried inhabitants away, encouraging survivors to seek safety inland.