Archaeological paths

5 Km from Camp Site International

This important archaeological complex (discovered in 1954 on a land owned by Italian president Antonio Segni) comprises of a monumental megalithic altar, a village and an ipogeic necropolis.

The altar, which is about 10 m in height and 80 in width, is preserved today as a thick square platform with a truncated pyramidal shape built with coarse cut calcareous stones, and having an access ramp leading to the top of the monument, where was once found a sacred building called the Red Temple.

This extraordinary architectural monument, which was often re-built and transformed in time, is found at the centre of what used to be an inhabited contemporary village of square huts. It can be dated as far back as the half of the 4 century B.C. and is reminiscent of a Mesopotamian Ziqqurat.

Its uniqueness in the western Mediterranean makes one think of it as a religious centre which probably attracted foreign pilgrims, as well as locals. Together with the altar, there’s also a thick hemispheric stone-built construction named onphalos which seems to represent a celestial vault, a few menhirs aligned in correspondence to specific cardinal points and a sacrificial altar. All such elements suggest the presence in the site of a priests’ caste skilled in the study of astronomy, and of ancient mysterious cults.

A religious centre, a place of knowledge and science and probably also of economic as well as military power – within a social context of an age which is now lost in the mist of time, Monte d’Accoddi exudes a powerful and silent shivering appeal, and certainly deserves a more thoughtful consideration on the part of scholars and archaeologists.

A necropolis which is also part of the complex is dug in the calcareous wall alongside the rio d’Ottava, 500 metres from the altar. It is comprised of eight multi-cellular ipogei often decorated with bovine proteomes and architectural elements.

Km 5 from Camp Site International.

This is a necropolis made up of a complex of 20 sepulchral ipogei dug in the calcareous stone. It’s an excellent example of the type of burial used toward the end of the Neolithic by the pre-nuragic populations in order to honour their dead. Such sites in the local Sardinian language are called “Domus the Janas”, which means “Houses of the Fairy”.

At Crozefissu Mannu, in those spots where the soft calcareous stone surfaces, it’s possible to actually see these caves dug in the rock comprising of separate rooms, with an entrance from a round hole (like a small well) or through a corridor.

The sepulchral chambers are often preceded by vestibules, and include also fascinating architectural decorations such as columns, decorated alcoves and bovine proteomes etched in stone.

These Domus the Janas can be found all throughout the north and centre of the island and were still used in the nuragic period. Some of them were also suitably transformed later on, so as to be used as paleochristian burial sites.

In this particular site it is also interesting to notice of the presence of a roman road, as the tracks of moving carts can still be seen today.

Km 5 from Camp Site International.

Turris Libyssonis is the ancient name of the town of Porto Torres, which was founded by Julius Caesar in 46 b.C.

The important remains of the ancient roman colony can be seen mainly north-west off of the modern town centre, and they tell us the story of a rich and populated roman province which held strong commercial ties mainly with Rome and Ostia.

The forum, the market and the thermae, as well as the famous Palace of re Barbaro, the theatre, the bridge and other buildings – which are mostly well preserved – all these offer themselves to the visitor as witnesses of a great past.

The antiquarium gathers a great quantity of meaningful remains.

Km 22 from Camp Site International.

This highly peculiar natural monument is nothing but a huge stone of trachytis, thanks to the erosive action of atmospheric agents, in time took the shape of a big elephant.

At its base, on the right side, some Domus de Janas open up, one of which shows some low-reliefs displaying bovine proteomes and other decorative elements.

The rock is found along the road, after entering the junction leading to Sedini, and appears as a sudden and unexpected surprise.

Km 39 from Camp Site International.

Amongst the most important monuments is a complex of Domus de Janas located within the small town of Sedini, great example of reuse for these ancient funeral sites which were first employed as prisons and then as houses.

So these are now object of curiosity, touristic attraction and sites of great interest on the part of scholars; ethnologists find a lot of study material in Sedini.

Even the town and its surroundings are very interesting and can be visited with guided excursions.

Km 50 from Camp Site International.

The nuragic royal palace of Santu Antine (Saint Constantine) is probably the emblem of the mysterious civilization.

In the Meilogu valley, other than the royal palace (in the Torralba district), many other nuraghes can be seen. In the plane of Santa Lucia (in the district of Bonorva) the necropolis of Sant’Andrea Priu is the most representative example of the transformation of the Domus de Janas into paleochristian tombs.

On the same site there’s also a decorated and painted ipogeic chapel.

In Porto Torres, the XI century basilica of San Gavino can be visited.

With its two opposing apses and two lateral entrances, it is an interesting example of Romanic architecture; in Sassari’s cathedral, the gothic facade fits harmoniously with its Romanic naves.

Other important churches are: Saccargia (near Ploaghe), San Pietro di Sorres (near Borutta), San Pietro (Bulzi); these are all examples of Romanic-Pisano style, dating as far back as the XII century.