A Prehistory of Sardinia, 2300-500 BC

Book excerpt: The Nuragic 'civilization' of Bronze and Iron Age Sardinia, known for its monumental stone towers, sacred wells and peculiar bronze votive figurines, has long fascinated travellers and archaeologists. Yet only recently have scholars outside the island recognized the potential significance of these unique island societies in the development of broader ancient Mediterranean cultural patterns. One reason has been the relative inaccessibility of recent reference works on the Nuragic evidence. The present Prehistory attempts to remedy the need for a complete and up-to-date synthesis of all extant evidence on Nuragic settlement, technology, economy, trade and ritual. This original interpretation of archaeological, historical and iconographic data constitutes the first modern study of the origins and development of these societies to appear in English.