Sardinia Historic Signs Period Pre-Nuraghic and Nuraghic Age

Photos Nuraghic Fortress on Sardinia

PRE - NURAGIQUE AGE

The first traces, of the human presence in Sardinia, they are constituted achieved by instruments on big bursts, they go back up to the Lower Paleolithic (500.000 - 100.000).

While we know the relative materials to the Superior Paleolithic (35.000-10.000 b.C.) they miss, currently, testimonies of the Middle Paleolithic.

In Sardinia relatively to the Neolithic period we have a lot of documentation.

The oldest phase (6.000 - 4.000 b.C.) it is characterized for the presence of the ceramics, of the recurrent use to decorate vases first of cooking with the side of a shell (cardium edule).

Testimonies of this period often come from underground cave and shelters under rock, that they are used very well like dwellings that as places of burial. The Neolithic Means (4.000-3.500 b.C.) he/it is characterized by the culture of Bonu Ighinu. Of this period they know themselves different facilities in underground cave and in villages and the oldest burials in small artificial underground cave.

In the Neolithic Recent one centers the culture of Ozieri (3.500-2.700 b.C.) documented in facilities in underground cave, in villages in full air and in tombs dug in the rock (domus of janas). In the Old Eneolithic (2.700-2.500 b.C.), beyond to the final results of Ozieri culture stands the aspects cultural of Filigosa and Abealzu, characterized respectively streamlined by cups to the rigid profile and vases to the bottle and with drafts to the shape of breast.

The and Neolithic Evolved (2.500 - 2.000 b.C.) it sees spilling of the culture of Mount Claro that it meets in villages in necropolis to the domus of janas and in funeral underground cave. In the and Neolithic End (2.000-1800 b.C.) it spills the current cultural Bell - Shapes it notices funeral contexts exclusively, especially domus of janas. Age according to the Old Bronze (1800-1600 b.C.) and represented by the culture of Bonnanaro the which remainders are especially documented in domus of janas and in megalithic burials, while they are at the rare moment discoveries in contexts of dwelling.

THE NURAGHIC CIVILIZATION

Nearly all specialists fix to place it the beginning of Nuraghic civilization of it around to the 1.600 b.C., between the Old Bronze and the Middle Bronze.

Already the architecture elaborates its older phase, beyond to Nuraghic towers, numerous megalithic burials, these tombs of gigantic and some examples of cult places. But it is the age of the Recent and Final Bronze that has the superior testimonies is especially in architectural domain that material.

This period sees the realization of the biggest part of these cult places named temples to the well, where ceremonies bound to the cult of waters were celebrated. Sardinia comes interested, enter other, of navigation Mycenaean, that he takes in the island new people, probably attracted by he exceptional mining resources. In the material production we can see an improvement of the technical quality of the ceramics but, especially, an extraordinary to probably decorate with flowers also the metallurgic, due production to imports of metallic objects of the island of Cyprus.

In the first age of Iron the production of works in bronze reaches considerable levels, to the realization of weapons and objects of decoration it to stand himself to sides the production of statuettes in bronze, the small boats votives and other objects in miniature. The production of continuous small bronzes in the phase more Oriental and to her him to stand himself to sides the realization of big statuaries in stone that they already replicate illustrations and characters known in the age of Bronze.

In the final phase of her history Nuraghic civilization sees the contemporary decorating with flowers some Phoenician cities until the the Carthaginian conquest (VI end century to. C.) that it will nearly mark his/her/its downfall in all the Sardinia.

Around to the 750 b.C. Sardinia has been interested by the Phoenician colonization after some commercial relation decades. The first foundation and the one of Sulci (S. Antioco), consistent, first of the end of the VIII century b.C., of Karalis (Cagliari), Nora, Bithia (Tower of Crapped), Tharros. The Phoenicians got settled on heads or promontories, and of these they traded beyond the sea minerals of lead and copper acquired by the indigenous populations.

Very rare it is the Phoenicians centers foundation in the inside, recovered in the Mount Sirai and to Breads only Loriga, to succeed in controlling the mining centers of the Sulcis-lglesiente. They join in the island produced exotic: thick caldrons in bronze and the dish refined of Etruscan and Greek canteen, as well as pots of oil produce fragrant in the same regions. These objects meet very well in the Phoenician centers and, specifically, in burials together to the other objects typical of their ritual. Toward the half of the VI century b.C. Carthage, in he Mediterranean expansion politics, he addresses in Sardinia and, alternative events succeed in conquering a part of the island around to the 510 a.Cs after.

The Carthaginians also exploit the island of the point of pastoral sour view and they spangle the territory of a facilities myriad. cities become more prosperous, as they reveal us the Greek ceramics: jewelries imported by the southern Italy, but produced also locally. Still of the world Greek cultural and religious influences as the cult of the goddess of the Demeter crops arrives.

Rich is also the production of dish and of objects bound to the private sphere: often amulets and false jewelries achieved in dough of glass. The sculptural shops are especially active in the realization of the tophet stele in which religious symbols and illustrations of divinity are represented.

The Nuragheses in Sardinia

Between the archaeological sites more important and interesting to see us mention: the Nuraghe Arrubiu close to Orroli; the federal Sanctuary of Saint Vittoria of Serri; the Nuraghe Losa - Abbasanta (in proximity of Oristano), the Nuraghe of Barumini (Cagliari) and the Nuraghe of Sant'Antine in proximity of Torralba (province of Sassari), and little Bonorva beyond, in the underground necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu (dated beyond 3000 years b.C.), we can admire what remains some previous civilizations to those nuraghic fortress. We know, besides, that the trade of obsidian encouraged the exchange with other cultures.

The Nuraghes are some megalithic constructions you achieve with blocks of basalt superimposed. The hypothesis more accredited are currently this second that would be defensive fortresses; with regard to the federal sanctuary of Saint Vittoria of you Tighten doubts they remain and different hypotheses exist again today on functions to which this agglomeration of constructions was destined. In every case it was about enormous importance buildings for the collectivity, considered that to construct them problems and enormous tiredness they were faced.

THE MEDIEVAL ROMAN AND HIGH AGE

In the 238 b.C. Romans seize Sardinia, called by the mercenary Carthaginian rebelled in Carthage. The first times are tormented by the resistance of Sardinian - Carthaginian populations, that finishes with the revolt missed of Ampsicora of the 215 b.C.

Sardinia politically Roman, culturally continuous to preserve for a lot of times Carthaginian cultural traditions: again at the third century D.C. we have public enrollments in characters and language Carthaginian.

The Carthaginian inheritance remained in cults, especially in those brought back to the popular devotion for divinities of crops. In the urban centers one notices the biggest thrust to Romanization, through the construction of sanctuaries of Malta way to the Cagliari and Sulci (S.Antioco).

The real Romanization of the territory begins in the First century b.C., when arrive the Roman typical ceramics.

In imperial age cities endow it of thermal sites, Forums and temples. Structures public and richest private houses decorate themselves of sculptures and mosaics in some cases achieved by African manpower. Shops rise that they produce common and more refined objects.

A big road network is constructed that unites the main cities of the island. The grain and the rich mineral lead and money are traded and are exchanged with wine of Italy and the Gallia, oil of the Iberian peninsula and especially the northern Africa, accompanied by ceramics, produces in the same zones.

Toward the 450 D.C. Vandals who were fixed themselves in the North Africa occupy Sardinia for about one century, without these signs a solution of continuity with the previous period.

Next them there is the period of the Byzantine domination during that the island, of the 698 D.C., year in which Arabs conquer Carthage, the Sardinia begins especially to detach itself of the political external influences and to govern itself slowly in an autonomous manner.

Sardinia art 1995 Culture