The Archaeology of Nuragic Sardinia; Gary Webster

Gary Webster [+–]

Gary Webster is former Associate Professor of Anthropology and currently Docent in Archaeology at Umeå University. Between 1985 and 2000 as Director of Pennsylvania State University’s Sardinia Research Program he led excavations at several Bronze Age sites. He has published widely on social archaeology, cultural history and the archaeology of Sardinia.

The Archaeology of Nuragic Sardinia is a comprehensive synthesis of evidence bearing on current understandings of Sardinian prehistory from the 23rd through the 8th centuries BC. It is a study of the material traces left by those insular societies known famously for their unique megalithic ‘Giants’ tombs and intricate water-temples, as well as for the remarkable cyclopean edifices or nuraghi for which this singular ‘civilization’ takes its name. Following introductory discussions of the history of Nuragic research up to the present, as well as the island’s natural setting, individual chapters are given over to detailed examinations of findings on chronology, settlement, subsistence, industries, trade, external relations and cult practices for successive chronological periods from the Early Bronze Age through the Early Iron Age. For each period, issues of interpretation are addressed with regard to what might be reasonably inferred about Nuragic social institutions, normative codes, cognitive orientations, identity formations, cultural hybridity and entanglements, and the role of indigenous and exogenous factors in cultural continuity and discontinuity. While the focus throughout is on the Sardinian record, due consideration is also paid to potentially related developments on the neighboring island of Corsica. A postscript features a glimpse of life at the great Iron Age sanctuary of Santa Vittoria di Serri as imagined by the late ‘father of Sardinian archaeology’ Giovanni Lilliu.

Series: Monographs in Mediterranean Archaeology

Prelims

List of Figures and Tables [+–] vii-x

The Archaeology of Nuragic Sardinia is a comprehensive synthesis of evidence bearing on current understandings of Sardinian prehistory from the 23rd through the 8th centuries BC. It is a study of the material traces left by those insular societies known famously for their unique megalithic ‘Giants’ tombs and intricate water-temples, as well as for the remarkable cyclopean edifices or nuraghi for which this singular ‘civilization’ takes its name. Following introductory discussions of the history of Nuragic research up to the present, as well as the island’s natural setting, individual chapters are given over to detailed examinations of findings on chronology, settlement, subsistence, industries, trade, external relations and cult practices for successive chronological periods from the Early Bronze Age through the Early Iron Age. For each period, issues of interpretation are addressed with regard to what might be reasonably inferred about Nuragic social institutions, normative codes, cognitive orientations, identity formations, cultural hybridity and entanglements, and the role of indigenous and exogenous factors in cultural continuity and discontinuity. While the focus throughout is on the Sardinian record, due consideration is also paid to potentially related developments on the neighboring island of Corsica. A postscript features a glimpse of life at the great Iron Age sanctuary of Santa Vittoria di Serri as imagined by the late ‘father of Sardinian archaeology’ Giovanni Lilliu.

Acknowledgements [+–] xi

Preface [+–] xiii-xvii

Introduction [+–] 1-11

The Archaeology of Nuragic Sardinia is a comprehensive synthesis of evidence bearing on current understandings of Sardinian prehistory from the 23rd through 8th centuries BC. Within a culture-historical framework recent findings on chronology, settlement, subsistence, industries, trade, external relations and cult practices are treated within sucessive chronological periods from Early Bronze Age through Early Iron Age. Summary discussions address issues of interpretation with regard to what might be reasonably inferred about Nuragic social institutions, normative codes, even cognitive orientations. While the focus throughout is on the Sardinian record, due consideration is also paid to potentially related developments on the neighboring island of Corsica.

Early Bronze Age: twenty-third to eighteenth centuries BC [+–] 12-39

Topics include: Chronology; Settlements and cave habitations: (Noeddos-Mara;Monte Baranta-Olmedo and Monte Ossoni-Castelsardo; Su Stangioni-Portoscuso and Sa Costa (Costa Tana)-Bonarcado; Sa Osa (S’Arrieddu)-Cabras; Filiestru-Mara and Monte Meana-Santadi); Mortuary practices; Hypogea (rock-cut tombs): (Bingia ‘e Monti-Gonnostramatza; Sant’Iroxi-Decimoputzu; Is Calitas-Soleminis, Tomb I); Cave burials: (Sisaia-Dorgali); Pyramid burial: Monte D’Accoddi-Sassari; Megalithic Tombs; Subsistence; Metallurgy; Trade and exchange; EBA Corsica; Discussing EBA society

Middle Bronze Age: eighteenth to thirteenth centuries BC [+–] 40-81

Topics include: Chronology; Settlement; Upland nuraghe-settlements (Brunku Madugui (Maduli)-Gesturi; Duos Nuraghes-Borore); Building nuraghi; Upland open settlements and cave habitations; Lowland open settlements (Sa Osa (S’Arrieddu)-Cabras; Montegonella-Nuraxinieddu; Bau ‘e Procus (Cuccuru de S’Arena)-Silì); Political geography ; Technology and economy ; Metallurgy; Trade and interaction; Burial practices; Reused hypogea (Sa Figu-Ittiri, Tomb II; S’Iscia ‘e Sos Piras-Usini Megalithic tombs: Giants’ tombs (Oridda-Sennori; Sa Sedda ‘e sa Caudela-Collinas); Tomb distribution and megalithic burial rites; Cave burials: Tani-Carbonia; MBA Torrean Corsica; Discussing MBA society

Late Bronze Age: thirteenth to tenth centuries BC [+–] 82-142

Topics include: Chronology; Settlement; Class I settlements (Brunku Madugui (Maduli)-Gesturi; Duos Nuraghes-Borore); Class II settlements (Funtana-Ittireddu; Nolza-Meana Sardo); Class III settlements (Su Nuraxi-Barumini; Palmavera-Alghero); Open settlements (S’Urbale-Teti; Sa Osa (S’Arrieddu)-Cabras;Monte Olladiri, San Gemiliano and Monte Zara); Social correlates of LBA settlements; Settlement disruptions; Subsistence and land-use; Cereal cultivation and storage; Grapes, figs and wine production; Husbandry, hunting, meat consumption and elite feasting; Marginalization, intensification and depletion; Ceramic industry; Pottery workshop: Hut 2 at Lu Brandali-Santa Teresa di Gallura; Stone and metal industries; Trade and interaction; Imports; Exports; Burial practices (Lu Brandali-Santa Teresa di Gallura; Is Lapideddas and Su Fraigu; Tomb distribution and status distinctions; Domestic shrines and megaron temples (Malchittu-Arzachena; S’Arcu ‘e is Forros-Villagrande Strisaili); LBA Torrean Corsica; ‘The Rise and Fall of Nuragic Civilization’

Iron Age 1, or Geometric Period: tenth to eight centuries BC [+–] 143-221

Topics include: Chronology; Foreign presence and Nuragic settlement (Genna Maria-Villanovaforru; Su Nuraxi-Barumini; Interpreting the ‘proto-urban’ layout; Duos Nuraghes-Borore); Economy and industry: Metallurgy (Metal shops and foundries; S’Arcu ‘e is Forros-Villagrande Strisaili); Ceramics, basketry and cordage; Subsistence; Feasting; Interaction: Warfare, conflict and the military arts; Trade (Sant’Imbenia-Alghero; Balance weights): Cult practices; Individualized burials; (Monte Prama-Cabras; Collective tombs (Motrox ‘e Bois-Usellus; Riu di Palmas-Sant’Antioco); Water-temples and the cult of water (Su Tempiesu-Orune; Romanzesu-Bitti; Nurdole-Orani); Domestic shrines; Fountain-houses or ritual saunas; Vestibule-temples and rotundas (Sa Carcaredda-Villagrande Strisaili; Su Monte-Sorradile); Cave shrines: Pirosu (Su Benatzu)-Santadi; Sanctuaries (Santa Vittoria-Serri; Sant’Anastasia-Sardara); Reconstructing Iron Age cult; Early Iron Age Corsica; Reading Iron Age Nuragic society

End Matter

Postscript [+–] 222-223

References [+–] 224-249

Index of Sites [+–] 250-253

Reviews

Webster has capably brought together a mass of different data to provide a convincing narrative of the Nuragic period in Sardinia. At the same time he has updated the content and moved away from the classificatory slant of the first edition to bring it more in line with recent approaches to archaeological theory, making it a unique comprehensive guide to this fascinating period. This book will serve an English-speaking world very well.
Bryn Mawr Classical Review

A meticulous overview of the totality of Nuragic cultural developments from the Early Bronze Age to Iron Age I... this book is a must for Sardinian archaeologists in that it provides a long-overdue synthesis of Nuragic archaeology in the tradition of Giovanni Lilliu, often considered the father of modern Sardinian archaeology. Perhaps the book’s most enduring contribution is that it showcases the richness of Nuragic society in a manner that is accessible to a diverse scholarly audience.
American Journal of Archaeology

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The Archaeology of Nuragic Sardinia

Gary Webster [+–]

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