Figure 1.--This photo was taken in the rural area of southwest Sardinia during the early 1950s. The boy is drawing water from a well by a water-wheel driven by a donkey. Notice the cactus. Sardinia was largely unouched by the War, but like Sicily still largely unouched by the modern economy.

We have some limited information on the island. Sardinia is another important Mediterranean island making up Italy. It is Italy's second largest island. It has an impressive 2,000 km of coastline. The coast is generally high and rocky. There are several long, relatively straight stretches, impressive headlands, wide rather, deep bays, wide rias, and picturesque inlets with a variety of tiny islands. There also some lovely sandy beaches. The island has a rugged mountainous interior. Sardinia has an extensive history. It has been settled since the Paleolithic Age. Archaeologists have no idea how the first humans reached Sardinia or from where. Unlike Sicily, Sardinia was located at some distance from the coast. It was inhabited throughout the Neolithic Age. There are architectural treasures on the island. The rugged terrain includes thousands of nuraghi, poorly understood Bronze Age stone ruins looking like beehives. There are 7,000 Nuraghi and hundreds of archaeological monuments that are located all over the island. One of the largest and oldest of these Nuraghi is Su Nuraxi in Barumini (1500 BC). Also notable is the Domus de Janas, holy wells, temples and the mystic giant tombs, which are huge stones set into the ground called ‘betili’ or ‘menhir’ which stem from the megalithic architecture. It is not as strategically placed as Sicily which dominated the narrows between the eastern and Western Mediterranean. Thus Sardinia has been largely a backwater of history. The Phoenicians first founded colonies on the island. The major enticement were the mineral resources. The Carthaginians seized the island (about 510 BC). The principal Punic cities were Tharros, Nora and Sulci. Rome obtained control of Sardinia during the Punic Wars (238 BC). The Sardinian-Punic people resisted Roman rule, but over seven centuries of Roman rule the population was largely Romanized. With the fall of Rome the island was seized by the Vandals and then the Byzantines. The medieval history of Sardinia was complicated with local dynasties and then Aragon playing important roles. The major historical importance of Sardinia is the role it played in the unification of Italy. Sardinia was basically economically backward until after World War II (1939-45). Sardinia is the most prosperous of the various Italian regions south of Rome. Economist classify it as in a transitional status between less and more developed regions. Tourism has been one of the divers of the new Sardinian economy. Poor fishing villages with their sandy beaches have been turned into trendy tourist attractions. An Italian reader tells us about the festival of Saint Salvatore at Cabras, a village on the eastern coast of Sardinia. Another interesting festival is the festival of St. Efisio. This is Sardinia's most important event. It is both religious and secular festival.

Geography

Sardinia is another important Mediterranean island making up Italy. It is Italy's second largest island. Thhe ilamd is renowned for stunning beaches, crystal-clear seas, and a blend of European and African cultural influences. Sardinia is located about halfway between Northern Italy and Northern Africa. It is just south of Corsica sat some distance from the oher major Italian island -- Sicily. Sardiia and Corsica are fused geologically, aligned along a mountain belt rising over 13,000 feet (3,950 metres) from the surrounding seafloor. TThe two islands are on a continental slope deeply rutted by submarine canyons. The terraine is dominated by slates in the southwest, while Carbo-Permian granites constitute more than one-third of the total area, especially in the eastern highlands. The highest elevtion is Mount La Marmora (6,017 feet [1,834 metres]) in the Gennargentu massif. Sardinia has an impressive 2,000 km of coastline. The coast is generally high and rocky. There are several long, relatively straight stretches, impressive headlands, wide rather, deep bays, wide rias, and picturesque inlets with a variety of tiny islands. There are also some lovely sandy beaches. The island has a rugged mountainous interior.

History

Sardinia has an extensive, fascinating history and given its modest modern existence, more important that might be expected. It has been settled since the Paleolithic Age. Archaeologists have no idea how the first humans reached Sardinia or from where. Unlike Sicily, Sardinia was located at some distance from the Italian mainland. It was inhabited throughout the Neolithic Age. The population has one of the oldest and most distinct DNA profiles in Europe. There is a vey high percentage of the island's population nwith direct ancestry from the early Neolithic farmers who migrated from Anatolia. Sardinians are more genetically similar to ancient Neolithic farmers than any other modern European populations. And unlike mainland Italians and other Europeans, Sardinians have low levels of migratory Steppe-related ancestry. Sardiians were much less affected by the the genetic turnover experienced elsewhere on the Continent. Here they show a genetic similarity to Basque populations--in this case isolated by mountains rather than by sea. There are architectural treasures on the island. The rugged terrain includes thousands of nuraghi, poorly understood Bronze Age stone ruins looking like beehives. There are 7,000 Nuraghi and hundreds of archaeological monuments that are located all over the island. One of the largest and oldest of these Nuraghi is Su Nuraxi in Barumini (1500 BC). Also notable is the Domus de Janas, holy wells, temples and the mystic giant tombs, which are huge stones set into the ground called ‘betili’ or ‘menhir’ which stem from the megalithic architecture. The Bronze Age remains are interesting given that Sardinians were some of the Sea Peoples that destroyed the great Bronze Age civilizations--except Egypt . The Sherden may have been the Sardinian Nuragic people. The Sardinian origin was only surmised at by historians based on pottery and other historical clues. But we now have definitive DNA evidence. Sardinia is not as strategically placed as Sicily which dominated the narrows between the eastern and Western Mediterranean. Thus Sardinia has been largely a backwater of history. Many historians suggest the Phoenicians first founded colonies on the island. The relationship may be more complex as the Phoenicians may have originated with the Sea Peoples. The Sea Peoples is a modern historical term. They were were actually named by the Bronze Age peoples upon whom they descended, especially the Egyptians. This included the Sherden who settled along the cost of the southern Levant. The Sherden were one of the Sea Peoples mentioned in the records of Ramesses II. He claimed to have defeated them in his second year when they landed in the Nile Delta (1278 BC). They also apparently landed further east where they did not face the Egyptian Army. Ramses eventually recruited some for his personal guard. 【Grimal, pp. 250–53.】 Sardinia was of some importance because of the mineral resources. The Carthaginians themselves with Phoenician origins seized Sardinia (about 510 BC). The principal Punic cities were Tharros, Nora and Sulci. Rome obtained control of Sardinia during the Punic Wars (238 BC). The Sardinian-Punic people resisted Roman rule, but over seven centuries of Roman rule the population was largely Romanized. This mean the culture was Romanized, but the ethnicity of the population was largely unchanged by Rome or the subsequent imperial powers which seized the island. With the fall of Rome the island was seized by the Vandals and then the Byzantines. The medieval history of Sardinia was complicated with local dynasties and then Aragon playing important roles. The major modern historical importance of Sardinia was the role it played in the unification of Italy.

Economy

The Sardinian economy as unchanged for centuries. Economic activity was a largely subsistence. In the rugged interior economic activity was largely pastoralist and small-scale subsistence agriculture. Along the coast we see more market oriented agriculture with less focus on livestock. Sheep and goats were important because of the rugged terrain. They milk which could be used to make cheese. Chickens provided both meat and eggs. Family gardens provided both vegetables and fruits. As was the case throughout the Mediterranean wine and olive oil were produced. Vineyards were cultivated yielding grapes which led to wine production. Olive trees afforded the material for olive oil production. Grain was cultivated for producing bread. Pigs were the primary source of meat, supplemented by wild game hunted and some lamb. The island did not have the pastureland to produce much beef. There were some cows, mostly raised for milk. Sardinia produced all the food items for a well-balanced diet; historically, however, transport was a problem. Villages tended to specialize in one or a small number of specialties an he high cost of transport mean that it was difficult to market outside the immediate region. The rugged interior meant that produce could not be transported economically. The road network was virtually n existent, making its= very expensive transport produce. There were fishing villages, fishing has not been a major activity. We are not sure why, but the lack of ability to reach a major market beyond the village may have been a factor. Donkeys and donkey carts provided the bulk of transport and animal power for most of the population (figure 1). The well-to-do had horses. Industry did not exist. There were to domestic artisanal handicrafts. Mining was of some importance. Traders and conquerors were drawn to Sardinia by the islands mineral riches. This shows today by many surviving place names: Argentiera, Montiferru, Funtana Raminosa, and Capo Ferrato. he primary metals mined were iron, lead, and silver. Zinc was added vin modern times, by then the most extracted minerals on the island, were added to a third one, zinc Sardinia was basically economically backward until after World War II (1939-45). The island began to move from the traditional subsistence economy into a modern market economy. The major driving force was the Italian Economic Miracle on the Italian mainland. Highway construction began to connect formerly isolated villages. Agriculture declined because farmers on the mainland including even foreign producers could produce crops less expensively than on the island with its mostly rugged mountainous terrain. And as roads opened up the island, imported produce could begin to reach the island market. Pastoralism in contrast has survived. Much of the milk is produced from sheep in modern dairies and is now purchased by cooperatives to produce Sardinia's distinctive pecorino cheese for sale in mainland and foreign markets. The service sector now dominates the economy. This includes both public service and small business. The service sector provides the bulk of employment. Household handicrafts have all but disappeared, except for limited sales in the growing tourist industry and some small export sales. Industrialization despite substantial government efforts has not taken hold. The high transport costs is a factor. There are two industrial activities. Mining continued, but is decline and petrochemical has developed. Sardinia is the most prosperous of the various Italian regions south of Rome. Economist classify it as in a transitional status between less and more developed regions. Tourism has been one of the divers of the new Sardinian economy. Poor fishing villages with their sandy beaches have been turned into trendy tourist attractions. Traditional artisanal fishermen needed sandy beaches for their boats. These same sandy beaches are now the major tourist draw. Although energetic hikes are attracted by the many fascinating archeological sites.

Chronology

Sardinia and other Italian islands were traditional and backward until after World War II. Traditional society and economic practices persisted there as was he case in southern Italy. This included traditional clothing. On Sardinia the major issue was the mountainous terrain. This inhibited agriculture which dominated European economies until the 19h century. And Sardinia did no have much flat areas where commercial farming was possible. And as here was little industrial development on the island, tradition society an clothing continued into the 20th century. We do not have much in the way of 19h century photography, but 20h century photography shows increasing western dress, but a very poor population that could not afford fashonable dress. The children are generally barefoot. This did no begin to change until after World War II.. Unlike the mainland, Sardinia although occupied by he Germans was not significantly damaged. And the economy benefited along with the thriving mainland economy generated by the Italian Economic Miracle. Changes were apparent by the late 1950s. And by the 1970s Sardinians were adopting pan-European styles and it was no longer possible to identify Sardinian children by the way they dressed.

Festivals

An Italian reader tells us about the festival of Saint Salvatore at Cabras, a village on the eastern coast of Sardinia. Another interesting festival is the festival of St. Efisio. This is Sardinia's most important event. It is both religious and secular festival.-

Sources

Grimal, Nicolas. A History of Ancient Egypt. (Oxford: Blackwell, 1992).

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Created: 3:48 AM 5/17/2010
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