In the hills and silent villages of Sardinia, not all legends are forgotten.
Some are still whispered—especially at night.
Among the most feared are two ancient figures: the Ghiane and the Mahare, two of the less famous italian demons…
They do not appear in tourist guides.
But in old Sardinian homes, their presence is still felt.
They are spirits of the night, linked to fear, sleep, and madness.
Who Are the Ghiane?
The Ghiane are male night spirits.
They are not visible.
They arrive in silence while you sleep.
What they do is simple:
They sit on your chest.
They steal your breath.
They paralyze your body.
Locals describe them as heavy and invisible.
You wake up in bed, unable to move. You try to scream, but no sound comes out.
Today, science calls this sleep paralysis.
But long before psychology books existed, Sardinians had another explanation:
It was the Ghiane.
And the Mahare?
The Mahare are the female version.
Their role is darker.
They don’t just visit in the night.
They haunt young men, especially those who break promises or act with arrogance.
Mahare appear in dreams and leave behind confusion, fear, and sometimes madness.
They are said to whisper, seduce, confuse—and disappear.
Some believe Mahare are the spirits of wronged women.
Others say they are ancient witches transformed into shadows.
What they have in common with the Ghiane is one thing:
They never knock before entering.
Ancient Origins
The stories of Ghiane and Mahare are not Christian.
They come from pre-Roman beliefs, possibly tied to Nuragic rituals and moon cults.
In old times, Sardinians lived by the rhythm of nature and fear.
They believed that not every dream was a dream—and not every nightmare was random.
These spirits may be part of a larger Mediterranean tradition of night demons.
Similar beings exist in other cultures:
- The Mara in Scandinavia.
- The Succubus in medieval Europe.
- The Jinn of Arabic folklore.
But Sardinia gave them local names. And kept them alive.
Rituals and Protections
To keep the Ghiane and Mahare away, villagers used:
- Amulets made of silver or coral.
- Prayers in dialect, never spoken during the day.
- Brooms near the bed, since demons hate counting the straws.
Some older Sardinians still sleep with a knife under the pillow.
Not to fight an intruder—
But to defend themselves from something that can’t be touched.
Do People Still Believe?
Today, younger generations speak less of these spirits.
But sleep paralysis and night terrors are still common in Sardinia.
And when they happen, many don’t go to a doctor.
They go to a nonna.
She listens, then says:
“Ti ha visitatu sa Mahara.”
(“The Mahara visited you.”)
Even if you don’t believe in spirits, the fear is real.
The stories survive not because of fantasy—but because they match something many people feel:
Being trapped in your body, unable to scream.
Sardinia’s Darker Side
Ghiane and Mahare are just two pieces of a much larger Sardinian puzzle.
This island is known for beaches and nature—but its soul is ancient and hidden.
Its folklore is raw, rural, and powerful.
It doesn’t try to impress. It tries to warn.
Some islands tell tales for fun.
Sardinia tells them for survival.
SecretItaly.it
We collect what history books leave behind.
And Ghiane and Mahare still wait for nightfall…