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Sardinia

Divers investigating the coin discovery off the coast of Sardinia. Credit: Italy’s Culture Ministry.

A Staggering 30,000+ Ancient Coins Found Off Sardinia’s Shore, Hinting at Shipwreck

In the depths off the northeastern shores of Sardinia , a diver's discovery of something glinting in the sunlight has led to a remarkable underwater treasure trove. Italy’s culture ministry announced...
Casu Marzu cheese with maggots. Source: ballylocci / Adobe Stock.

This Ancient Cheese is Eaten With Live Maggots (Video)

In the rustic landscapes of Italy's Sardinia , an age-old culinary tradition endures – one that might bewilder the uninitiated palate. Casu martzu, known as "rotten cheese," boasts a history that...
Horned warrior mercenary ( AlainAlexander/Adobe Stock)

Where Did The Shardana, Warrior Mercenaries Of Egypt Originate From?

A 13th-century BC inscription of Ramesses II reads: “ The unruly Sherden whom no one had ever known to combat, they came boldly (sailing) in their warships from the midst of the sea, none being able...
Though the crusades are numbered it would appear that the Pisans zero crusade was truly the first as it preceded the First Crusade by nearly 80 years. And from that time forward the fortunes of Pisa rose to incredible heights! 	Source: Lunstream / Adobe Stock

Was Pisa’s 1016 Sardinia Expedition the First Crusade of Them All?

During the First Crusade, the city state of Pisa, like many other European powers, was moved by the pleas of Pope Urban II, who in 1095 ordered the Christian kingdoms of Europe to launch a holy...
Two more stone giants of Mont’e Prama from the Iron Age have been unearthed in Sardinia.	Source: mont’e prama

Two More Disc-eyed Giants of Mont’e Prama Found in Sardinia!

Their purpose is currently unknown, but two more disc-eyed giants of Mont’e Prama have been unearthed on Sardinia. The Mont’e Prama Iron Age burial necropolis on the Italian island of Sardinia has...
The two Viksø horned helmets found in Denmark in 1942, which were used in a new study as evidence that an ancient Bronze Age trade route linked the Mediterranean to Scandinavia.		Source: Nationalmuseet / CC BY-SA 3.0

Do 3,000-year-old Bronze Age Horned Helmets Have Trans-Continental Links?

A team of researchers has sampled organic matter from residue found inside a rare and deeply ancient bronze horned-helmet in Denmark. But their claim that a long-distance prehistoric oceanic trade...
A view of a reconstructed hut at the Nuraghe Antine site at night.

5 Must See Megaliths of the Mysterious Nuragic People

All over the Mediterranean island of Sardinia exist megalithic marvels that date from almost 4000 years ago. These mostly limestone structures are believed to have belonged to a civilization now...
A view of Nuragic complex of Palmavera

Nuraghe Palmavera: Examining the Legends of a Mysterious Civilization

In the 1930s, archaeologists uncovered the remains of megalith limestone structures believed to have belonged to the civilization of the Nuragic people. Known as ‘nuraghe’, these are the primary...
Master Architects of Sardinia: The Sacred Well of Santa Cristina

Master Architects of Sardinia: The Sacred Well of Santa Cristina

The Well of Santa Cristina is an ancient structure located on the Italian island of Sardinia. The name of the structure is somewhat misleading. In spite of its association with a Christian saint, the...
Byssus, Secrets of a Shining Sea Silk Loved by Ancient Cultures

Byssus, Secrets of a Shining Sea Silk Loved by Ancient Cultures

Byssus is an extremely fine, rare, and valuable fabric of animal origin. It is a sort of natural silk with golden and sparkling reflections that is obtained from the filaments secreted by a large...
Nora, the Ancient Sardinian Trading Town that Everyone Wanted

Nora, the Ancient Sardinian Trading Town that Everyone Wanted

Nora is arguably the first town ever built on the island of Sardinia, one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Their rich and remarkable history includes occupation by Phoenicians,...
Detail of a Phoenician grinning mask, 4th century BC, found in a grave at San Sperate, Cagliari, Museo Archeologico Nazionale.

The Disturbing Truth Behind a Sardonic Grin

Creepy and more than a little uncomfortable to behold, one usually thinks of DC Comics' Joker when hearing the phrase "sardonic grin." A "smile" that pulls up the corners of the mouth in a way that...
The Roman amphitheater of Cagliari             Source: murasal / Adobe Stock

When in Sardinia, Do as the Romans Do: The Cagliari Amphitheater

Sardinia is a beautiful Italian island renowned for its stunning views. It is also a historic island with over 7000 prehistoric archaeological sites that date from before 1000 BC and many amazing...
Famous structure of the Nuragic civilization. Su Nuraxi of Barumini, included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since 1997

The Mysterious Nuragic Civilization of Sardinia

Throughout the ancient island of Sardinia, the story of the indigenous Nuragic civilization lies obscured by unanswered questions. Although one can examine thousands of their laboriously-assembled...
The bizarre face of one of the Mont’e Prama Giants. Source: Author provided

The Mont’e Prama Giants: A Massive Archaeological Mystery

1974, Sinis region, Sardinia (Oristano): the plow of a farmer being blocked by a piece of stone marked the beginning of a series of excavations in the area of Mont'e Prama, near the village of Cabras...
The Mysterious Coddu Vecchiu Tombs of Giants

The Coddu Vecchiu Tombs of Giants: Nuragic Burials and Sardinian Secrets

During the Bronze Age (3300 – 700 BC), the Nuragic civilization built what are known as the Tombs of Giants (Tomba dei Gigantic). These megalithic gallery graves were used by the Nuragic people as...
The Monte D'Accoddi ziggurat on Sardinia. Source: Pierluigi Tombetti

Monte D'Accoddi: A Mesopotamian Ziggurat on Sardinia?

The site of Monte D'Accoddi on Sardinia is one of the most extraordinary mysteries of modern archaeology. It’s a real Babylonian style stepped pyramid that stands on a millenary plain as a reminder...
Nuraghe Is Paras - Isili - an archeological site of Isili, a town in the historical region of Sarcidano, province of South Sardinia built in the 15-14th century (Andrea / Adobe Stock)

Were the Anunnaki the Architects of the Towers and Tombs of the Giants of Sardinia?

Sardinia is one of the most geologically ancient lands in Europe , inhabited during the Upper Paleolithic, home to a Nuragic civilization that left nothing behind by way of writing. Folklore paint...
 Santu Antine.

Santu Antine, Sardinia: A Megalithic House Built for a King?

A mysterious civilization built megalithic structures across the island of Sardinia in the Bronze and Iron Ages. The buildings are now known as nuraghes – and the impressive nuraghe called Santu...
Sea Silk

One Person Left on Earth Knows the Ancient Secret of Producing Sea Silk

Sea silk is a highly-precious fabric that is so rare only one woman left on earth knows the secret to its creation. Whilst silk is famously known to be obtained from the cocoons of the mulberry...
The Untold Story Behind Sardinian Banditry

The Untold Story Behind Sardinian Banditry

Sardinian banditry is a phenomenon associated with the island of Sardinia located in the Mediterranean. Part of Italy today, this island is generally believed to have taken its name from the Latin...
Nuraghe Ruju, Sardinia

Did a Comet Destroy Ancient Sardinia?

A group of Italian scientists recently met to present their hypotheses regarding the cause of the disaster that devastated the island of Sardinia in 1175 BC. Their meeting took place before the...