Dozen of testimonies of the pagan cult of the Sardinia fathers

Anglona

Not far away from the famous Elephant cliff (Castelsardo) you will find the nuraghic pit of Pedra Sciolta, in which thousands years ago the waters cult was celebrated.

In the countrysides of Perfugas it is possible to visit the sacred pit of Predio Canopoli and the Niedda source, where the waters cult was practiced.

In the territory of Nulvi, beside the nuragh of Irru, you will find the homonym sacred pit which goes back to the nuraghic period.

At the entrance of Pèrfugas, a village located in an area full of archaeological sites (in part to be still uncovered), you can admire a nuraghic pit temple preserved in good conditions: it was constructed in the Age of the Iron, and it is made of an altar, some stone seats and a staircase that leads to the pit where flows the water.

Barigadu

On the Onnariu Mount, considered to be a sacred place since the pre-history, the ruins of a Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter have been uncovered. It dates back to the I century B.C. and, until now, it is the only one in Sardinia dedicated to this divinity. On the hill that dominates Bidonì have been brought to the light some important evidences that have contributed to explain to the historians and archaeologists some aspects of the presence of Romans in the island.

The sacred source of Puntan'Arcu in the territory of Sedilo is well worth a visit.

Baronìe

The cave of Su Santuariu (The Sanctuary- in Lòculi), as is intuitive from its name, has been a place of cult since the nuraghic age.

Campidano

Not far away from the spas of Santa Maria Acquas, at the entrance of Sardara, there is the nuraghic sanctuary of Santa Anastasia with a pit-temple that dates back to the period between the IX and the VIII century B.C.: it is possible to combine the visit to the Civic archaeological Museum “Villa Abbas”.

Gallura

A few kilometers away from Olbia, along the road that leads to Golfo Aranci, you will find the sacred pit of Sa Testa, constructed in the nuraghic period and located in a area adapted to religious ceremonies. A staircase leads to an underground room with a “tholos” roofing.

Close to the railway station of Golfo Aranci (this locality owes its name to the numerous crabs that populate this stretch of coast) we suggest you to visit the sacred pit of Milis: the vault of the staircase that leads to the underground room has been engraved in the rock, forming an upside-down turned staircase.

Marghine-Planargia

In Silanus, in the area of Santa Sabina, there is a sacred “tholos” pit. One hour is enough for visiting the nuragh and the church of Santa Sabina as well.

Monte Acuto-Goceano

In the countrysides on the outskirts of Oschiri, in front of the church of Santo Stefano (XVI century), there is an altar in stone built during the Byzantine age: it is a place of cult that, probably, was already famous before the coming of Christ and then adapted to the new religion. Numerous sockets of several shapes have been engraved in the rock, probably used for collecting the offers of the faithfuls.

Montiferru

In the nuraghic complex of Santa Cristina (Paulilàtino) it is possible to visit one of the most important pit-temple among the forty samples in Sardinia. The smoothed and perfectly squared basalt, is the stone used three thousand years ago to build the walls and the steps that lead to the vestibule where the waters cult was practiced. The sacred source is situated on the bottom of the sink and, every 18 years, it is illuminated during the long winter nights by the full moon.

Ogliastra

Villagrande Strisàili boasts one of the most important sacred sites of the nuraghic civilization: in S’Arcu ‘e Forros it is possible to visit two pit-temples and a “megaron” one.

In the territory of Cardedu it is possible to visit the sacred sink of Presoneddu, in which thousand years ago was practiced the waters cult.

Sarrabus

Ballao is a small center washed by the Flumendosa, one of the most important rivers of Sardinia. In its territory traces of the Nuraghic, Punic and Roman civilization have been found. Somebody assumes that the Roman used it as a fortified post for the defense from the raids of the peoples from the near Gerrei. It is very interesting the nuraghic pit-temple (with a tholos roofing) of Funtana Coberta, a few kilometers far from the village: the clergymen took from that source the water for the sacred rituals dedicated to the goddess Mother.

It is well worth a visit the sacred sink of Is Pirois, in the countrysides of Villaputzu: a steep and narrow staircase leads directly to the mouth of the water vein, where the people from the near villages did the ablutions.

Sulcis-Iglesiente

Not far from Domus de Maria (village founded in the 1700's by the Scolopi), in the shelter of the pond nearby the tower of Chia, the Phoenicians built an important naval landing place. It took the name of Bithia, unfortunately disappared apart from a few remains such as small parts of the temple dedicated to Bes (refurbished under the roman Imperator Marco Aurelio), some walls and some house.