345 Megalithic monuments in Sardinia (Italy) Riccardo Cicilloni ABR ST ACT On the island of Sardinia, in the western Mediterrane- but also › political ‹. In fact, these monuments could be inter- an, the megalithic phenomenon is documented at least since preted as »signs of territorial demarcation of segmentary so- the Middle Neolithic Age (5th millennium BC), reaching its cieties«, according to the hypothesis already carried out by peak during the Late Neolithic and the Copper Age (first cen- Colin Renfrew, with functions of control and organisation of turies of the 4th-end of the 3rd millennium BC) and further the territory by small groups of farmers and shepherds. Re- developing until the Bronze Age. Indeed, Sardinia excels in cent research has highlighted close structural relationships terms of displaying quite a lot of megalithic monuments: at between the megalithic monuments of Sardinia and some ex- present, we know 226 dolmenic burials, about 750 menhirs, tra-insular regions, such as the Iberian Peninsula, France 100 statue-menhirs and at least twenty megalithic circles. and chiefly Corsica. We can infer that during the Prehistoric The dolmenic tombs are particularly interesting: in terms of Age Sardinia was not a cut-off region with only scarce rela- typology, they belong to five main categories, namely simple tions with other areas, but rather it made part of the whole type, › corridor ‹ type, › side entrance ‹ type, › mixed ‹ type and western region of the Mediterranean basin, including from › allées couvertes ‹ type. Even though the size of the Sardinian a cultural perspective. This contribution intends to offer the dolmens is generally not so great, they are highly visible in the most outstanding testimonies of the megalithic phenomenon landscape: many of them are closely related to nature trails, in Sardinia, linking it to the chronological and areal corris- sometimes coinciding with canyons or valleys. These mon- pondences of the western Mediterranean region. uments should not only have a funerary or ritual function, INTRODUCTION On the island of Sardinia, in the western Mediter- The first traveller-scholars who visited Sardinia at ranean, archeological investigations since 800 have re- the turn of the 19th and 20th century – such as the Scot- vealed the presence of several megalithic monuments tish archeologist Duncan Mackenzie (1910; 1913) and of prehistoric times (Fig. 1). the Irish scholar Olivier Davies (1939) – remained so Fig. 1. Sardinia (Western Mediterranean). Distribution of main Sardinian sites mentioned in the text and the image captions: 1. Li Muri (Arzachena); 2. Coddu Ecchiu (Arzach- ena); 3. Ciuledda (Luras); 4. Sa Coveccada (Mores); 5. Su Crastu Peltuntu (Giave); 6. Sos Furrighesos Anela; 7. Monte Maone (Benetutti); 8. Matta Larentu (Suni); 9. Serrese (Sin- dia); 10. Perda ‘e s’Altare (Birori); 11. Boeli (Mamoia- 0 40 km da); 12. Monte Paza (Sedilo); 13. Mesu Enas (Abbasanta); 14. Macchetturu (Ruinas); 15. Cirquittus (Laconi); 16. Gen- na Arrele (Laconi); 17. Sa Domu ‘e s’Orku (Setzu); 18. Bin- gia ‘e Monti (Gonnostramatza); 19. Pranu Mutteddu (Goni); Sardinia 20. S’Incorriadroxiu (Silius); 21. Cuili Piras (Castiadas); 22. Arratzu (Villaperuccio). 346 R. Cicilloni Fig. 2. Megalithic circle of Li Muri-Arzachena (photo: R. Cicilloni, Photographic Archive of the Department of History, Cultural Heritage and Territory, University of Cagliari). impressed and admired by such rich »megalithic« her- In Sardinia, the megalithic phenomenon is docu- itage that they reported and described dolmens and mented at least since the Middle Neolithic Age (5th mil- menhirs, as well as nuraghi and giants’s tombs (monu- lennium BC), reaching its peak during the Late Neo- ments of the Bronze Age). lithic and the Copper Age (first centuries of the 4th and Numerous scholars – Italians and foreigners – later end of the 3rd millennium BC) and further developing occupied the argument (to mention only the most impor- until the Bronze Age. In fact, we know 226 dolmenic tant: Taramelli, Pallottino, Zervos, Lilliu, Contu, Atzeni, burials, about 750 menhirs, 100 statue-menhirs and at Castaldi, Tanda, Moravetti, etc.), reporting and studying least twenty megalithic circles, or cromlech (cicillo- the various monuments as they were discovered. ni 2009; 2013). MEGH ALIT IC CIRCLES Regarding the first attestations of megalithic mon- cases – they were linked to the cult (lilliu 1988, 65). uments, we remember the phenomenon of grave cir- Among these circles, the most important is Li Muri at cles of Gallura in the North-eastern Sardinia (Puglisi Arzachena (in North-eastern Sardinia) (Fig. 2). In fact, 1942, 127 – 138; Bagella/ DePalMas 2007; Pagli- in this site there is a necropolis comprising five lithic etti 2009). We know 50 of these, in various loca- cist tombs, quadrangular, four of which are surround- tions (atzeni 1981, 41 – 42). These structures are ed by circles of stones fixed vertically (antona 2003; mostly funeral, as evidenced by the frequent presence lugliè 2011). These circles – with a diameter varying of lithic cists (or coffres) and the discovery of various from 5.30 to 8.50 m – are tangent to each other, where- skeletal elements, although perhaps – at least in some by near these circles there are small menhirs. In terms Megalithic monuments in Sardinia (Italy) 347 of chronology, thanks to recent investigations on the grave goods found, this site is attributable to the final phases of the Middle Neolithic (alBa 2000, 45; an- tona 2003, 367) period, characterised by the cultural aspect of San Ciriaco of Terralba (lugliè 2003; usai 2009, 55 – 58). Interesting elements of chronological analysis also come from the structural convergence with analogous monuments of the near Corsica. Excavations carried out in coffres similar to the Gallura circles in Mon- te Revincu-S. Pietro di Tenda (North Corsica) have in fact given radiocarbon datings pertinent to the last centuries of the 5th millennium BC, allowing us to place chronologically the beginnings of megalithism in Corsica during the Middle Neolithic (leanDri/ De- Mouche 1999 ; leanDri 2000). Jean Guilaine brings together this type of sepulchral monuments – which are also present in Catalonia and southern France – speaking of »proto-mégalith- isme«, to designate a primitive evolutionary moment of the Mediterranean megalithism (guilaine 1996, 125 – 127; 2011, 33 – 39). Accordingly, the cists of Gallu- ra – with attached small menhirs – would be the first phase of Sardinian megalithic phenomenon, before the true monolithic and trilithic megalithism. Megalithic circles are also present in other areas of Sardinia, such the cromlech of S’Incorriadroxiu at Silius (South-East- ern Sardinia) (Manunza 2008, 31 – 32). Therefore, if the Sardinian megalithic phenomenon seems to arise between the Middle Neolithic and the Fig. 3. Menhirs of Cuili Piras-Castiadas (aniconic type) Late Neolithic, only during this last period – with the (photo: R. Cicilloni, Photographic Archive of the Depart- Ozieri culture (4000 – 3300 BC) – does the megalith- ment of History, Cultural Heritage and Territory, University ism seem to know the moment of its greatest expan- of Cagliari). sion, with the spread in the whole island of menhirs of various types and numerous dolmens. MENHIRS Regarding the menhirs, we know at least 740 exam- ples in Sardinia, including the aforementioned men- hirs of Li Muri (Merella 2009) (Figs. 3 – 4). They are found all over the island territory (with a particular concentration in central areas) and in almost all alti- tude bands. We recognise three main typological cate- gories, probably belonging to an evolutionary line: the aniconic type (the more represented), simple, with- out representations; the proto-anthropomorphic type, ogival in shape, with a flat front face and a convex rear; and finally, the anthropomorphic type, with figurative elements (such as eyes) resembling the human figure. They have different measures, from the 50 cm ex- Fig. 4. Menhirs of Arratzu-Villaperuccio (proto-anthropo- ample at Pranu Mutteddu-Goni (South-East Sardinia) morphic type) (photo: R. Cicilloni, Photographic Archive of to monuments taller than 6 m, such as some menhirs the Department of History, Cultural Heritage and Territory, of Mamoiada, Orgosolo and Oliena (central-eastern University of Cagliari). 348 R. Cicilloni Sardinia). They are single, in couples or alignments and – in some examples – with signs and symbolic el- ements, especially cup marks. We often found them associated with other prehistoric monuments such as megalithic circles, dolmens and allées couvertes, caves and sacred areas of various kinds, the so-called »do- mus de Janas«, literally »fairy or witches houses«. This term in Sardinian language indicates Neolithic artifi- cial rock-cut tombs. We know now about 3,500 domus de janas located on the island (tanDa 2009, 67). Within the phenomenon of standing stones, two sites are particularly interesting: Pranu Muttedu at Goni and Cirquittus at Laconi (south-east Sardinia). The site of Pranu Mutteddu is characterised by numer- ous menhir – about 60 – of the »proto-antropomor- phic« type (atzeni/ cocco 1989; cicilloni 2011). They are made with local sandstone, carved with a fine and accurate processing and they range from 0.50 m to Fig. 5. Representation of a bovine protome in the Domus de 2.70 m in height. They are variously located, in pairs, janas of Sos Furrighesos VI-Anela (Photographic Archive of small groups as well as small and large alignments, the Department of History, Cultural Heritage and Territory, among which the most numerous comprises a group of University of Cagliari). twenty menhirs, while others more rarely are isolated. Some of these are associated with a particular ne- cropolis that contains different types of tombs, char- They could in fact be indicators of a sacred area and acterised by the presence of circular structures that at the same time protecting it: associated with a fu- surround the burial and supporting the mound that nerary monument, they could indicate the place of the covered the tombs. The tomb n° II presents a small dead and protect the »sleep« of the same.