SARDINIA | Archeology

It’s a big mistake if you think of Sardinia just for it’s amazing views or for its heady smells and it-s beautiful blue green waters. This ancient Island is, also rich of precious archeological finds and monuments that testify the presence of the Nuragic people since 1800 b.C.

It’s a big mistake if you think of Sardinia just for it’s amazing views or for its heady smells and it-s beautiful blue green waters. This ancient Island is, also rich of precious archeological finds and monuments that testify the presence of the Nuragic people since 1800 b.C.

A little hearth was placed in the middle of the grave to recall the family background. As a matter a fact, people use to think that the deeds would keep on living after the death and for this reason a statue of the Dea Madre was placed inside the grave to protect them and the walls were stained with red paint.
The most important and biggest domus de janas that you can visit are the ones of Anghelu Ruju near Alghero (Ss) of Sant’Andrea Priu in Bonorva and of Montesu in Villaperuccio (Ca). You can date back to this period also the huge stepped altar of Monte d’Accodi that has an interesting affinity with the mesopothamic Ziqqurat.At the end of the Neolithic period the first menhir were built. These were big megalithic circles made with huge rocks raised towards the sky. They were placed right in front of the graves to protect them. These enormous rocks were stuck in to the ground and towered themselves towards the sky as to connect the sky with the ground, the world of the deeds and the world of the livings. The most important menhir complex of the Island is located in Goni, near Cagliari, in the Pranu Mattedu Valley.
You should also visit the menhirs located in Laconi. The menhirs were usually built near the important Tombe dei Giganti or Graves of the giants. These were huge megalithic graves built in a T shape were the dead was placed in a fetal position. Later on these graves were assembled following a special nuragic technique that used to place big rocks one on top of the other without using cement. Finely preserved are the Tomba dei giganti S’Ena e’Thomes near Dorgali and the tomba dei giganti Coddu Vecchiu in Arzachena. Sardinia has over than 7000 nuraghi around the entire Island. These are absolutely the most important monuments of the Neolithic period. We are talking about typical truncated-conic building made of rocks that had a special tholos cell roof. One of the most important nuragic villages of the Island is Su Nuraxi in Barumini not far from Cagliari which has been recently declared humankind estate by the UNESCO. Around the big main tower grow many other small ones joined by hallways and staircases.
You should visit also the big Nuraghe Losa in Abbasanta (Or) or the Nuraghe Palmavera near Alghero (Ss). In Villanovafranca, not far from Cagliari you can discover the famous nuragic complex of Genna Maria. The nuragics have also left the famous bronzetti, small bronze statues that were probably donated to the nuragic Gods and that have also been found in many holly wells around the Island. One of the most beautiful wells that you can visit is the one dedicated to Santa Caterina placed near Paulilatino (Or). This big well made with big blocks of basaltic rock had a little staircase that leaded to an underground tholos cell from were the water spouted.

In the VIII century b.C the Phoenicians arrive in the Island and end the nuragic culture that had dominated till then. The first coastal settlements come to life: the first cities were built like Karalis, Tharros, Nora and Bithia that soon become very important commercial ports. In the VI century B.C. the Island is dominated by the Carthaginians in this period the most important Phoenician city was Tharros near Cabras (Or). From this period we’ve got to remember the interesting religious tophet settlement dedicated to the Goddess Tanith. The legend says that kids were sacrificed here in honor of this Goddess but know we know for sure that only animals were killed here for her. You should also visit the temple dedicated to Anthas built in the year 500 B.C. a beautiful tetrastilo temple with Ionic columns. In the year 238 B.C Sardinia is under the Roman domination. The Romans have built many streets, theatres, baths and waterworks that are still saved in Tharros, Nora, Cagliari, Porto Torres. For the pale Christian age we have to mention Cornus, situated in the locality of Santa Caterina di Pitinuri , that has a wild funeral area and two cultural spaces. Are pale Christian also the churches of Saint Saturno at Cagliari, and Saint Antioco of Sulcis.