SARDINIA | History

Distinguished by an intense local culture, Sardinia expresses her specificity through her amazing archeological, historical, environmental, folkloric estate rich in popular traditions that can be appreciated not only during the suggestive festivals but also throughout the many handicraft products.

The first traces of the men in Sardinia refer to various areas of origin in the Mediterranean: the north of the island, in particular the territory of the Gallura, seems has been occupied from populations of Etruscan origin, while from Spain the first inhabitants of the Sardinia center would have come and, nearly sure, from the continent African those of the southern zone. During the Neolithic period the Sardinians started to settle themselves building the first hut villages and practicing agriculture. In the same age, historical studies have proved the development of a religion whose rites were inspired by the veneration of the Mother Goddess, symbol of life and fertility, and by the cult of the dead which were buried inside little tombs, called domus de janas or fairy houses, carried out digging in the rocks. The legend says that the janas were little nocturnal females, half fairies and half witches that never came out during the morning because afraid of burning their very delicate white skin.
The famous Nuraghe, truncated conic buildings made of rocks like the one you can visit in Barumini or the nuraghe Santu Antine, were built during another following Megalithic age by an important population that came from the East and that also built the smaller sight towers. An example of these settlements is the archaeological area of Barumini, acknowledge by the UNESCO like World Erritage. The cult was not inspired by the Mother Goddess anymore but it was animated by special war gods, the Menhir, smooth or craved rocks, that looked like daggers and that were fixed on the ground. This explains why many Menhir have been found in front of important megalithic graves called Tombe dei Giganti that differentiate themselves from the little domus de janas because of their great size.

It was around the year 1000 B.C. that the first coastal cities such as Nora, Tharros, Karalis, Bosa, Torres, Bithia and Olbia were built by the Phoenicians. It was around the year 500 B.C. that the island was invaded by the Carthaginians that conquered not only the coastal towns but tried to push themselves also in the hinterland but with little success. In the years of the Punic wars the Carthaginians had to give up the territories because Sardinia became a Roman Province. The Romans dominated the island till the fall of the Roman Empire after which the Island was conquered first by the Vandals then by the Byzanthine and at last by the Arabs. Around the year 1100 a.D the Island was divided in to 4 giudicati, judgeships, Arborea, Cagliari, Torres and Gallura. These giudicati were made to rule in total and complete independence. Among all the reigning we have to remember Eleonora d Arborea that promulgated the first law code in Sardinian language, the Carta de Logu. After the battle of Maccomer in 1478, as well as the other giudicati, also the Giudicato of Arborea ended his life defeated by the Aragonese.

Conquered by the Aragonese, Sardinia was ruled by the Spanish till 1720 when the territories of the Island were handed over to the Savoy.

The year marked the assignment of the Sardinian territories to the Savoy, that found the Sardinian kingdom. Then, after the Renaissance and the Independent wars, there was the Italian Unity. This long period, that saw the Island ruled first by the Spanish and then by the Savoy, has left many tracks of these two different cultures especially in the current Sardinian traditions and festivities. As a matter a fact you can still admire the typical Sardinian costumes and floats, during the parades arranged for some of the most important religious festivities such as the festivity of Sant Efisio in Cagliari or the festivity of the Redentore in Nuoro. We can date back to 1899 the first Cavalcata Sarda. This is the year when Sassari was waiting to celebrate king Umberto I and his wife queen Margherita that were in town to unveil an important monument in honor of King Emanuele II.