Designing Ecological Habitats - Gaia Education

This article traces the history of the Federation of Damanhur – undoubtedly one of the most
magical places on Earth – in relation to its agricultural production. Author Capra Carruba,
with the help of friends, weaves an enchanting tale that highlights the priority of food in
a growing community. From a few visionary city folk scratching out some terraces on a
muddy hillside to now value-added production distributed within a regional market, the
story is one of determination, confidence and trust. Capra only hints at the underlying
spiritual values that keep the community together – yet if you look a little closer, you will
find that it is these spiritual values that sustain Damanhur.
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Rebuilding Cornucopia:
How to Create a Community
Garden
Capra Carruba and Friends – Damanhur, Italy
Cornucopia – a symbol of food and abundance; also referred to as the food of
worship and holiness
Introduction to Damanhur
The Federation of Damanhur is a thriving eco-society in the foothills of
the Alps of Northern Italy. Damanhur, one of the oldest non-monastic
intentional communities in the world, is a society based upon ethical and
spiritual values. Its growing population of nearly 1,000 citizens has united
to create a consortium of more than 80 businesses – including art studios,
various services, green building companies, agricultural cooperatives, as well
as a variety of other innovative business models. The territory of Damanhur
extends across the Valchiusella and Canavese region of Piedmonte and
includes nearly 600 hectares (1,483 acres). The heart of Damanhur is ‘The
Temples of Humankind’, an extraordinary underground complex, often
described as the Eighth Wonder of the World. This artistic masterpiece is
dedicated to universal spirituality and to the re-awakening of the divine in
every human being. Damanhur is a model community, based on action,
optimism and the idea that every human being lives to leave something of
him or herself to others and to contribute to the evolution of humanity as
a whole.
Damanhur was not born as an agricultural project; yet self-sufficiency
emerged as a strong objective for us from the very beginning. This led to