Mount Etna has had many names throughout its long existence, but the one that has stuck with it, along with its current name, is Mongibello. This word encompasses not only a name but a phrase itself. And above all, an identity, that of a towering mountain that dominates the Sicilian and Calabrian coasts. To those arriving by sea, it must have immediately appeared so… grandiose, perfect. A mountain, or rather… “the” mountain.
The Mountain of Mountains
Before the year 1000, the Sicilian volcano was known by the Arabic name “mountain of fire”—Gebel al Nar—for obvious reasons. Over time, that long name was shortened to simply Gebel, meaning the mountain.
When the Norman reconquest brought Sicily back under Catholic, and especially Latin, influence, no one knew the meaning of the Arabic word Gebel and it was thought to be merely the proper name of the mountain. Thus, on maps it was indicated as “Monte Gebel,” or Mons Gebel in Latin. And the slow transformation of the vernacular changed Mons Gebel to Mongibello.
According to some theories, however, the Normans were well aware of the meaning of the term “gebel” and intended to reinforce the concept of this mountain’s grandeur with the word Mongibello. In short, they called it Monte Monte… or “the mountain of mountains”… the largest, the most perfect.
Other meanings attributed to Mongibello
Over the following centuries, many have interpreted or reinterpreted the meaning of the name Mongibello. Some studies trace it back to Mulciber (he who calms the fire), one of the epithets the Romans attributed to the god Vulcan. Other theories, however, hold that the word derives from Monte Bello, to emphasize the beauty of the landscapes offered by Etna.
Mongibello is still “the” mountain
In the 21st century, some maps still bear both names of the volcano: Etna Mongibello. The fact is that the medieval name has now fallen completely into disuse.You find it only on the signs of certain businesses, restaurants, and hospitality facilities. In the area, only one town still bears this name, albeit distorted by linguistic changes over time: San Giovanni Montebello, located on the eastern flank of Etna.
But the concept of “mountain of mountains” has remained alive in the language of the Etna inhabitants. For them, in fact, the volcano is not called Etna, it is called ‘a muntagna, “the mountain.” And the sense of respect that resonates in their voices when they pronounce this word suggests that for the locals, Etna is not a simple natural element but a living, powerful, intimate presence. Like a mother, like a capricious lover who can be forgiven for almost anything… and a volcano, as we know, has a lot to be forgiven for!
Traces of Mongibello
Although few use it, the name Mongibello still stands the test of time. An almost imperceptible trace of it remains in some technical maps relating to the volcano’s geology, which indicate “Mongibello” only for the area of the summit craters. These, in fact, are four small mountains atop a mountain… they too, in fact, are an absolute expression of this “being the mountain of mountains.” (All photos by G. Musumeci)