History
Rignano Garganico for centuries was ruled by several families of feudal origin. In medieval times, along the "Via Sacra Langobardorum” (built to achieve better Monte Sant'Angelo) Rignano was a military fortress (“Castellum Rigian") to defend the area from external raids. Of the original castle there are the remains of a square tower, and some old houses in the neighbourhood. The first lord of the city was Count Tancred (1138-1194), son of Roger II (1095-1154); in 1158 it was a fief of the “Montesacro” Abbey.
In the first half of the seventeenth century it belonged to the Barons of Corigliano. For most of the nineteenth and twentieth century the small town was devoted mainly to agriculture, with a high rate of emigration; after the Second World War its economic life was revived for the establishment of any industrial plant connected to the processing of the beets.
Today the city economy is also promoted by tourism, as it provides artefacts and sites of great interest. While it is of medieval origin, the Rignano area was inhabited from the prehistoric times, as evidenced by the remains found in archaeological sites that arise in its surroundings ( the “Paglicci” Cave, “Spagnoli” Cave and “Lamasecca” Dolmen in the Plain of the "Madonna of the Christ" ), and in particular to the "Paglicci Cave," where were found some wall paintings that enabled scholars to trace the exact period of the historical artefacts, namely the Upper Palaeolithic.
Etymology
From the etymological point of view, Rignano was generally interpreted as a praedial place-name with suffix "-anus", with reference to an ancient Roman landowner. According to M. Doria, '' Regnano ',' Rignano ' are common names in different parts of Italy, but they can assume different Latin names, like "Rinius", “Rennius”, “Rimnius”, “Rinnius”, “Rumnius” and “Arinius" (See M. Doria, “Un percorso culturale fra Micene e Trieste” [" A cultural route between Mycenae and Trieste”], Forum, 1998: 339). The first appearance of the name "Rignano" dates back to the Middle Ages, in a document dating back to 1029, with regard to some lands donated to the Abbey of “San Giovanni in Lamis”, in which it is quoted such as "Monte guardie ‘Riniani’ " (genitive of "Rinianus ").
Studying the records of the Holy Trinity of Cava Abbey, J.M. Martin emphasized that "Rignano apparait dès 1029" [“Rignano appears from 1029”] (See J.M. Martin, "Les Actes de l'Abbaye de Cava concernant le Gargano”, Società di Storia Patria per la Puglia”, 1994: 11). The document, very rare, was published entirely by G. Del Giudice, and here we report the basic passages: “[...] Item aliud scriptum continebat sigillum factum Christophori Protospatarii et catapani Italiae (…) datum (…) Abbati Monasterii Sancti Johannis de Lama et monachis et posteris suis mense januario (...) et concedimus eis terras et loca cum ipsis terminis videlicet. 'A Monte guardiae Riniani' per vadum qui vadit ad viam Sancti Andree (...) et retro tramite vadit ad montem prenominatum guardie Riniani [...]”;or "another document also contained the seal of Christopher Protospatharius, the Catapan of Italy [the 'Catapan' was the commander in chief of the Byzantine army in Italy], given Abbot of the Monastery of ‘San Giovani in Lamis’, monks and their posterity in January (...) We give them land and localities in the following boundaries. From the so-called 'Monte di guardia di Rignano' along the way to San Andrea (...); behind including places along the road that leads to “Monte di guardia di Rignano" (See Appendice I, “Collezione di alcuni diplomi di Catapani d'Italia”, in Giuseppe del Giudice, “Codice Diplomatico del Regno di Carlo I e II d'Angiò”, Napoli, Stamperia della Regia Università [Appendix I," Collection of some Catapan Diplomas of Italy ", in Giuseppe Giudice," Diplomatic Code of the Reign of Charles I (1716-1788) and II (1661-1700) of Naples, Naples, the Royal University Printing House, 1863: XIV]. The mention of Catapan Christopher sends back the deed of gift to 1029, years in fact of his presence in Italy.
Over the centuries, Rignano was also known by other names, including, for example, "Castellum Rigian" and this name is mentioned in documents published by L. A. Muratori, one of the great Italian scholars of the eighteenth century (1672-1750), recalling certain historical events of Apulia: "[...] Lothario [795-855] (...) went to Puglia, seizing by force of arms of Castel Pagano, a mighty fortress, and then King Roger (1095-1154) blinded the governor Richard because, according to King, he had not opposed the required resistance to the enemy . Then Roger sent the Duke Conrad 'to oppugnandum ‘Castellum Rigian’' ['to win ‘Rigian’ castle'], whose inhabitants soon surrendered "[...]" (See L.A. Muratori, “Annali d'Italia”, ["Annals of Italy"], Vol IV, Prato, Giachetti, 1868: 43). Riniano was also known as 'Rinianum' in a document relating to Frederick II of Swabia (1194-1250), dating back to 1204, which speaks of a place "apud Rinianum” [near Rignano] (See E. Loescher, “Regesto di San L. di Siponto”[ " Summary of St. L. Siponto”], 1913: 88); Riniano is sometimes also quoted such as "Ariniano", which, as indicated by M. Manicone, "is mentioned throughout the Kingdom with the name 'Rignano' or 'Regnano'."
We conclude by noting that, in past centuries, about the etymology of Rignano, some scholars said that the name derives from "Ara Jani" (Temple of Janus); in this regard, M. Manicone, adds that "it was said that Rignano was so named because here there was a temple, or 'Ara Jani'" (See M. Manicone, "La Fisica Daunia", by L. Lunetta, I. Damiani, Editions of History and Literature, 2005: 155). Although this etymology, today, is not usually highly regarded, it was noted that in some documents the city's name is written with the letter "j" (Ra-j -niani), so the "[...] Handwriting 'Ra-j-niani' derives from 'Ara Jani,' the temple of Janus. The hypothesis is of undeniable interest, because it acknowledges the value of the near Janus’ Shrine , which among other things I consider irrefutable, because it is related to the age-old rites [of the Gargano area] [...]" (see “Storia, Antropologia e Scienze del Linguaggio” ["History, Anthropology and Language Sciences”], Bulzoni, 2000: 60). Finally, "Garganico" was added to "Rignano" to distinguish it from other Italian small town having the same name.