Toponymy is an intangible and linguistic heritage that tells us stories about the land. Ibiza’s beaches bear names that reveal their history. Researchers such as Isidor Macabich, Joan Marí Cardona, Joan Castelló, and especially Enric Ribes, Cosme Aguiló and Joan Coromines, are key figures in the study of this legacy.
A few examples: la Xanga, at the far end of Playa d’en Bossa beach, refers to each of the two stilts once used to walk across swampy ground. The name les platges de Comte reflects the area’s historical link to the Count of Rosselló, Nunó Sanç – one of the three noblemen who divided the island after the Catalan conquest of 1235.
The name ses Salines beach comes from the surrounding salt flats. Cala Llonga, in Santa Eulària, owes its name to its most distinctive feature: a long, deep cove – longa meaning “long” in Latin. The bay of Portmany (Portus Magnus in Latin) is so named because it is the largest harbor and bay on the island. Porroig, in Sant Josep, may derive its name from the combination of the words puig roig (red hill), referring to the color of the local soil.
The origin of cala Carbó is debatable, but it likely doesn’t refer to actual coal; it may come from the word kar(r)abo (ravine, cliff, stony place) or carba, a place where goats are plentiful. Cala Tarida, in the southwest of the island, is named after a small type of boat. The word teridah is of Arabic origin. Meanwhile, names such as cala Vedella, cala Truja and cala Corral relate to the island’s farming and livestock traditions – vedella means calf or young cow in Catalan.
In the south of the island, we find es Jondal, a name of Arabic origin that could mean “zone or district of the Arabs” or refer to some form of military division. To the north, Portinatx probably has Mozarabic roots and may mean “small port”, which fits its location.
The names of the islets surrounding the island also have fascinating origins. Just one example: sa Conillera likely comes from the abundance of caves in the area. Inventing new names for beaches that already have them – calling platja de ses Salines “Malibu”, cala Gració “cala Pomelo”, or referring to sa Pedrera as “Atlantis” – means losing a vital piece of cultural heritage and harms the landscape. We shouldn’t do it.
