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History, art and culture

History, art and culture 2008
mar 2008 -

 

Sardinia has been inhabited by humans since the Lower Paleolithic, even though it was only starting from the Ancient Neolithic (6000 BCE) that the first social groups began to settle and which would eventually give rise to one of the most fascinating civilisations in the entire Mediterranean Basin.
In the area of the Province of the Middle Campidano there are several remnants of primitive buildings dated at 3000 BCE.
The menhirs of Cort’e’ Semmuccu and Genna Prunas and, later, the domus de janas (caves carved into the rock where the dead were buried) make for truly evocative pictures of the daily life of those times.
It is during the Ancient Bronze age (1800–1600 BCE) that what will eventually become the mysterious and interesting Nuragic civilisation starts spreading across Sardinia. The protonuraghi of Bruncu Màdugui and Sa Corona, are attributed to this period: these are imposing dry limestone edifices, without a dome and erected in a position overlooking the territory.
In the Middle Bronze (1600–1300 BCE), the first mono-tower nuraghi (Su Nuraxi-Ortu Cumidu) are coupled by megalithic hypogea: the tombs of the giants (Sa Gutta de Santu Giuanni, Su Cuaddu de Nixias, and Sa Domu ‘e s’ Orku).
The last phase of the Bronze Age (1300–900 BCE) witnesses the establishment of the utmost expression of the megalithic architecture in Sardinia: from simple mono-tower buildings, the nuraghi (Su Nuraxi, Nuraxi ‘e Cresia, Su Mulinu, Genna Maria) become ever-imposing structures, being for several centuries the hub around which the life of the local communities revolved.
In spite of the various and involved theories about their actual function (e.g. watchtowers, fortresses, dwellings of headmen, holy sites, …), still none of such hypotheses prevails upon the others.
Such uncertainty makes these monumental works of the nuragic man real treasure chests, which will probably cherish for some other indefinite time their thousand-year secrets.

Apart from the Giara of Gesturi, that of Siddi also features some very interesting archaeological sites.
The tomb of the giants of Sa domu ‘e s’Orku is one of the most imposing and better preserved in Sardinia. The lack of a single stele shows its belonging to the most ancient typologies of these monumental burial sites. (Text by Walter Pagano)

The domus de janas (image over of the one of Sa Domu ‘e s’Orku near Setzu) were carved directly into the bare rock with rudimentary tools.
They are dated to a period before that of the tombs of the giants (Culture of Ozieri 4000-3000 BCE), and often form real necropolises both by number and location.

As in many other nuragic settlements, in the area of St Anastasia, at Sardara, is also found a sacred well where rituals tied to the cult of water took place.
Some Authors claim that at these sites the ritual of the ordalia would also take place, during which the magic power of water was used to try a person suspected of a certain crime. Accordingly, the eyes of the alleged offender were wetted with the liquid drawn from the holy spring, which would have blinded the ill-fated should s/he have been really responsible for the charge. (Text by Walter Pagano)

The wide exedra of the tomb of the giants of San Cosimo (Gonnosfanadiga).The area was delimited by large boulders stuck into the ground and arranged into a semicircle that, together with the central body of the sepulchre, formed the bull’s head protome.The function of this symbol was probably to turn away the evil magic influences that accompanied the dead in his/her passage to the netherworld. (Text by Walter Pagano)

The nuragic complex Su Nuraxi (Barumini), declared by Unesco “Legacy to Humanity” is the mightiest of the nuragic complexes.The first edifice dates back to 1450 BCE, and it has been modified and expanded over the centuries to reach eventually its current size. It was inhabited for about 1200 years, until 300 BCE.
At its foot the remnants of a village are still visible, in which several huts stand out, most notably those preserving traces of kilns, stone benches and a pool.

Oftentimes the nuragic buildings were used in several historical periods, during which changes and enhancements would occur. In the nuraghe of Su Mulinu, near Villanovafranca, such interventions are evidenced by the diverse architectural styles adopted during its functional period, ranging from the VII to the IV century BCE. Inside, a tub-shaped altar has been found, attributable to the first Iron Age and used probably during sacrificial rituals in the name of the Moon goddess. (Text by Walter Pagano)

In the images are two most interesting finds recovered during the excavations at the site of Genna Maria: two pintadere, which were used to decorate bread, and an askos, a vase of a peculiar shape probably used during religious rituals.

At the Naturalistic Museum of the Territory of the Consortium of Sa Corona Arrubia it is possible to see this realistic reconstruction of a hut of the Neolithic period.

During the excavation campaign at the nuragic site of Genna Maria, at Villanovaforru, it was discovered that the village was probably destroyed by a sudden fire. The dwellers, due to the hasty escape, were unable to take away their implements, weapons and everyday objects, which were recovered by archaeologists still on site, after almost 3000 years.

The tomb of the giants of Su Cuaddu de Nixias, near Lunamatrona. One of the peculiarities of this tomb is the chequered decoration present in the lower part of the stele, at each side of the entrance gate. This burial site was probably used by the communities of the nearby protonuraghi of Trobas and Pitzu Cummu.The hole on the top part dates to a historical period, although its function is unknown. (Texts by Walter Pagano)

On the border between the two Judicates.
During the last centuries of the I millennium ACE the first autonomous forms appear in Sardinia: the Judicates, actual sovereignties, each with their own laws (cartas de logu), institutions, emblems and, along the boundaries, fortified manors (Monte Arcuentu, Las Plassas, Monreale and Sanluri – the latter still inhabited, at the centre of town), which divided the Judicate of Cagliari from the Judicate of Arborea.The autonomy of the Judicate of Cagliari ends for good in 1257, that of Arborea in 1420.The church architecture has produced simple yet original monuments, more evident in the many rural churches, whereas in the settled areas an attempt has been made to marry the Romanic with the Gothic style (St Gregory).
The painting activity comes predominantly from the Aragonese-Catalan school and from the Campanian Mannerism, as evident in the retables (the prevailing artistic current), which can be visited at Tuili and Villamar.

Church of Santa Severa at Gonnosfanadiga. Inside is a wooden statue of the Saint that, according to legend, has not been moved for centuries from its current position.
(Text by Walter Pagano)

Detail of the bas relief which adorns one of the architraves of the rural church of San Michele Arcangelo in Siddi.
Right. The church of St Gregory (XIII–XIV) in Sardara is characterised by a particular stylistic dualism: Gothic elegance couple with Romanic austerity. (Text by Walter Pagano)

Amongst the various rtistic treasures, the church of St Peter in Tuili preserves the Retable of St Peter, a work dated to 1500 and attributed to the Maestro of Castelsardo.The masterpieces by this artist are regarded as the utmost expression of the pictorial production of Catalan influence in Sardinia.
His works can be admired not only at Tuili but also at Castelsardo and Cagliari, and even in some museums in Ajaccio, Barcelona and Birmingham.

The bell tower of the church of St Anthony Abbot in Tuili. The relevance of this religious building, completed in 1582, is due to its rural style of Sardinian school, one of the few examples in Sardinia.

The church of St Peter, in Villamar, dates to the XIII century and reflects the Arabic architectural influences upon an original Romanic-Pisan base. In the right image, a detail of the arches adorning the apse.

Inside the Castle of Sanluri, currently still inhabited, ancient heirlooms are preserved which are collected in a museum inaugurated in 1927 by the general Nino Villasanta. A peculiarity tied to the history of this castle is reported in some historical documents indicating how the external walls, 1.80 m thick, 27 m long and 10 m high, were erected in just 27 days and 27 nights. (Text by Walter Pagano)

The Castle of Las Plassas was part of the defensive belt of the Judicate of Arborea and was built on such a perfectly conical hill to look artificial. (Text by Walter Pagano)

The imposing walls of the Castle of Monreale give an idea of what the strategic importance of this fortified edifice was like.
Located at the top of the namesake hill, the castle overlooked the underlying village and provided an effective means of control over the boundary separating the Judicate of Cagliari from that of Arborea. Still visible inside are the capacious tanks, which made for a capacious water reserve in case of siege. (Text by Walter Pagano)

Inside view of the blue Room of the Direction of the Mine of Montevecchio, near Guspini. The careful restoration intervention that has affected the structures of this mine shows what the historical-artistic interest of these sites can be like, which could have been lost forever as a result of negligence. (Text by Walter Pagano)

The Mines: prototypical monuments of industrial archaeology.
The western part of the Province of the Middle Campidano has been home to mining activities of national relevance. The whole area of Mount Linas, one of the most ancient in Sardinia originated about 450 million years ago, preserves imposing examples of industrial archaeology. Montevecchio, Ingurtosu, Canale Serci, Perd’e Pibera and Naracauli are the major centres, although the mines are spread everywhere, being reachable through a network of roads and tracks.
Imposing buildings including depots, washing plants, cableways, railway lines, workshops, factory worker sheds, office buildings prove the intense extraction activity that would keep busy tens of thousands of workers.Towards the middle of the XX century the last mines were closed and abandoned buildings are now spread everywhere.The most relevant edifices are currently being restored for conservation purposes so as to realise a downright large museum of industrial archaeology. (Text by Walter Pagano)

As for the other extraction plants, in the Mine of Montevecchio and in the Laveria Lord Brassey at Naracauli too it looks as though workers, miners and managers alike suddenly abandoned their work places for some unknown reason. This is indeed the feeling that the visitor experiences whilst wandering about the silent corridors, between decantation pools and machinery that, at any time, look like they would start operating again with their clanging noise, breaking the tranquillity surrounding these fascinating sites. (Text by Walter Pagano)

As for the other extraction plants, in the Mine of Montevecchio and in the Laveria Lord Brassey at Naracauli too it looks as though workers, miners and managers alike suddenly abandoned their work places for some unknown reason. This is indeed the feeling that the visitor experiences whilst wandering about the silent corridors, between decantation pools and machinery that, at any time, look like they would start operating again with their clanging noise, breaking the tranquillity surrounding these fascinating sites. (Text by Walter Pagano)