Archeological day in Sardinia

On Tuesday 12th, we had the whole day for us, with a car provided by Bruno and Raffaella! So we decided to embark in a day trip following the history of the people in Sardinia!

Here is the map of our road trip, click on one of the locations on the map to read and see what we saw there:

Filigosa

The site of Filigosa hosts a necropolis from aeneolithic period, more precisely from the Copper Age (2900-1800 B.C.). Ironically, the site is now in front of an hospital. The necropolis is composed of four graves, dug deep in the stone by the first Sardinian culture of metals, the culture of Filigosa. These tombs present a similar configuration. All have a long corridor entrance carved in the rock, called “dromos":

The tomb is composed of several cells. The first cell at the entrance is the biggest, and contains a carved ritual fireside in the middle of the floor.

First cell, with a carved ritual fireside in foreground and the access to other funeral rooms in the back

The other funeral rooms, which contained the remains of deceased persons, can only be accessed by crawling from the first cell via carved doors. We did not attempt such thing, so we leave here a map of the rooms for one of the tombs.

The site will persist up to the the Bronze Age, as it will be used also for burial purposes by an important civilisation, the Nuragic civilization.

Nuraghe Losa

Our next stop is to Nuraghe Losa, where we visited the vestige of a gigantic structure, characteristic of Nuragic civilisation from the Bronze Age. In fact, its name is derived on that structure: The nuraghe. This kind of megalithic edifice can be found thorough all Sardinia, with more than 7000 of them discovered on the island. These were built during four centuries (1600-1200 B.C.), part of a demographic increase, land colonization, deforestation and agricultural development that the Nuragic civilization was undergoing. These multipurpose buildings functioned as coordinating centres, mainly for concentration and redistribution of products, and formed a thick network structured in several districts.

A view of the sheer size of the nuraghe, with Ece as a scale.

Towards the end fo the Bronze Age (1200-930 B.C.) and the beginning of the Iron Age (930-730 B.C.), the nuraghe lost their utility as the Nuragic civilisation was undergoing a socio-economical crisis. Indeed, this period showed the limits of the rural system from which these buildings were part of: Too fragmented and unable to compete with newly emerging urban systems.

The nuraghe Losa had also several auxiliary structures surrounding it.

Tharros

Speaking of urban system, our next stop was at Tharros. Thought to be founded by the Phoenicians at the end of the 8th century B.C., Tharros became one of the most important cities in Sardinia during the Punic age (6th century-238 B.C.). Built near a Nuragic settlement, its existence is explained by its geography, located in the Sinis peninsula, providing a natural port.

The city became under roman control in 238 B.C., then under the Byzantine Empire, until the inhabitants left the city under Saracen pressures in 1070.

The area of the Roman temple with columns rebuilt in contemporary times.

A view of a large spa building, Romans knew how to chill...

San Giovanni di Sinis

Our last stop was to one of the most ancient Sardinian churches, 15min away from Tharros. Built in the 6th century during the Byzantine period. This little rural church is dedicated to St John the Baptist and stands on a small cemetery of pagan origins.

The building visible today is the result of an enlargement and renovation works effectued between the 9th and the 10th century. Previously the building was shaped like a cross, the trailing arms have been cut off; the top arm has been transformed into an apse and three naves have been set up inside the church.