The origin of the name "Selegas" is based on two supposition: The Spano says that the name "Selegas" comes from the Phoenician word "Selag" which means "place of stone". Selegas rises on a reef well seen from the high part of the village towards Seuni. The Spano adds that for the same reason the name "Selag" was given to a village in Numidia.

According to the popular tradition the name of the village in the origin was "Saint Steven". People say that in the past there were six villages around today's Selegas, which were totally destroyed by the arrive of a plague called "SA MUSCA MACEDDA" o "MANCHEDDA". The survivors of the plague gathered together and founded a new village called "Seilegas". The two supposition are both reliable. The first, which considers the place where Selegas rises, could have been the first name of the village. Later with the establishment of Cristianity this name could have been changed in honour of Saint Steven, (it should be noticed that in the vestry of the Parish Church there are two statues of Saint Steven.) The second, which considers the union of the six villages after the terrible plague can also be taken as true. In fact, in Selegas' land we can still notice the remains of two villages called "Arcus and Simieri". The last one was situated within the borders of Ortacesus and Senorbì, where still exist the foundations of the Parish Church of "N.S d'Itria". The etymology comes from the Phoenician word "sciamor" which means custody-observation. This same etymology is mentioned in the donations made from the Cagliaritan's judges to Saint George bishop of Suelli.

The name "Selegas" appears in the transcripts of Mister Naitza, which are dated 1321-1358. During the centuries this name appears in the official acts registered as following: 3-7-1434 confirmation of a feoff to Giacomo Besora "Selegas". 9-2-1518 confirmation of a feoff to Jacobo de Alagon "Selegues". 6-12-1548 act of possession to Don Biaggio de Alagon "Seliguas". 28-10-1550 act of possession to Donna Anna, wife of the deceased Don Biaggio. "Seligas" stands for Selegas. It is a dialect word still in use today.

HISTORY

Selegas located in the Trexenta's land has remote origins. The remains of ancient nuraghi in its territory are sign of an establishment of nuragic people. From the Struglia's book "Sardegna" we know that the nuraghi density in Trexenta was of 0,6 per sq km. The remains of Punic-Roman establishments present in Nuritzi and in the borderland are clear signs of people establishment in centuries between 500-300 AC.

We do not know what happened to Selegas after the fall of the Roman Empire, the Vandal occupation and the Byzantine domination. The village was likely to have been destroyed and risen again towards the year one thousand when in Sardinia appeared the form of government called "Giudicati". The Trexenta appears in the "Giudicato of Cagliari" under the name of "Curatoria". The conquering of the Island by the Maritime Republic of Pisa and Genova brought the fall of "Giudicati". The first to fall was the "Giudicato of Cagliari" in 1258, then ruled by the conquerors. Once the war was over, the town council of Pisa obtained from Don Alfonso the grant, but not the direct demesne of the Trexenta. In the years between 1321 and 1358 were part of the land of the Trexenta: the city of Cagliari, Sant'Andrea which was called Villa Frius, Saint Basilio and the country of Gesico. Part of it was also Segaciu (Segariu) situated in the near borderland of Marmilla. From Cagliari the Trexenta extended to Sanluri near Serrenti. It went towards Samassi, Decimoputzu, Villa Aremosa (Vallermosa) comprehending all the Villacidro's land till Serramanna, while the near borderland of Samassi was left out. It went close to the borderlands of Ussana, Donori and comprehended Barrali's land and villas. In 1701 the assumption of the Reign by Filippo V with the act of 4-7, confirms the possession to Don Artaldo de Alagon and Pimentel. In 1704, at the instance of Don Artaldo the Trexenta was handed down to Donna Emanuela, his only daughter and countess of Montesanto.

A cura del gruppo tradizioni popolari di Selegas