For centuries in Maimoda (Nuoro) during carnival celebrations, strange characters make their appearance: the Mamuthones. They carry a heavy sheep skin (sa mastrucca) on which strings of cowbells big and small (sa carrega) are attached. Their faces are covered with a black wooden masks (sa visera) whilst their wear typically female scarves on their heads. What they represent is yet unknown. The rituals, though, clearly refer to fertility rites which mark the passage from one season to the other. People conjecture: some claim they are from an infernal afterlife others reckon they are dead peoples' souls who come to visit the living, others still think they only represent old historical episodes however from the affection and the force of such tradition is what really comes out from the words of the people.
