Origin of the name Delia
Randy Caparoso - CC4.0
Various hypotheses have been formulated about the origin of the name Delia.
The first hypothesis derives the name Delia from the Arabic term Daliyah, meaning vine. The hypothesis is highly accredited because the territory of Delia was characterized by the presence of numerous vineyards, particularly in the area where Via Vignazza stands today.
A second hypothesis links the name Delia to the prehistoric cult of the Delli or Delloi, i.e. Hot Springs, practiced by the Sicani. The wealth of sulfur springs in the countryside of Delia supports this hypothesis.
A third hypothesis has come to us through the writings of the historian Vito Amico: in the Lexicon topographicum Siculum he writes that the city of Delia could identify with the ancient Petiliana where it is believed there was a temple dedicated to the goddess Diana Delia, from which the city took its name.
A final hypothesis is that supported by the historian Biagio Pace. He believes that the name Delia was derived from Petilia or Petelia and that, over the centuries, this changed into Telia and then Delia. The hypothesis is supported by the fact that, in oral tradition, the city is also known by the name of Petelia, a name also assigned to the main street of the town before it was renamed Corso Umberto.
