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Tharros
A Sardinian Treasure in the Ancient Mediterranean
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Edited by:
Barbara Faedda
Language:
English
Published/Copyright:
2025
About this book
For nearly a thousand years, the city of Tharros in western Sardinia was central to trade routes and cultural exchange, a hub connecting North Africa, the Balearic Islands, and the Eastern Mediterranean. Its earliest ruins, dating from the seventh century BCE, were likely constructed by Punic settlers from North Africa. The Carthaginians built temples and tombs; the Romans, who arrived in the third century BCE, erected their own infrastructure, such as public baths and aqueducts. Tharros was eventually abandoned around 1000 CE. The site was plundered over the centuries, and treasures from its tombs were widely trafficked.
This is the first English-language book to explore the rich and fascinating archaeological site of Tharros. Distinguished scholars of Sardinian and Mediterranean archaeology examine the history of excavations and the many significant discoveries that have been made on the site. Essays consider the religious beliefs, burial practices, material culture, and daily life of the inhabitants of ancient Tharros. Dozens of color photographs depict the city’s architecture and artifacts—buildings and roads from the Bronze Age, the Punic era, ancient Roman times, and the Christian centuries, along with treasured and everyday objects now held in major global museums. Showcasing the achievements of Sardinia’s ancient society, this book shines a light on Tharros’s distinctive history and culture.
This is the first English-language book to explore the rich and fascinating archaeological site of Tharros. Distinguished scholars of Sardinian and Mediterranean archaeology examine the history of excavations and the many significant discoveries that have been made on the site. Essays consider the religious beliefs, burial practices, material culture, and daily life of the inhabitants of ancient Tharros. Dozens of color photographs depict the city’s architecture and artifacts—buildings and roads from the Bronze Age, the Punic era, ancient Roman times, and the Christian centuries, along with treasured and everyday objects now held in major global museums. Showcasing the achievements of Sardinia’s ancient society, this book shines a light on Tharros’s distinctive history and culture.
Reviews
All students of the various cultures of the ancient Mediterranean—Phoenician, Punic, Roman, and others—should read this book to remind themselves of the richness of evidence from the often forgotten island of Sardinia and especially its fascinating archaeological site of Tharros.
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Sweeping and insightful. The latest word on Tharros, a breathtaking archaeological site with an amazing history that illuminates Sardinia's rich culture and international connections in the ancient world.
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Frontmatter
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Contents
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Introduction
1 -
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CHAPTER ONE Archaeology of a Prehistoric and Protohistoric Landscape: Northern Sinis in the Scientific Research by the Museum of San Vero Milis
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CHAPTER TWO “Little California”: Lord Vernon’s 1851 Tharros Excavation
31 -
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CHAPTER THREE Between Land and Sea: The University of Cagliari’s Research in Tharros and Its Territory
67 -
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CHAPTER FOUR The University of Bologna at Tharros and Capo San Marco: Forty Years of Excavations and Archaeological Enhancement Projects
87 -
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CHAPTER FIVE Etruscan and Greek Archaic Imports to Tharros and the Museography of Tharrensian Archaeology
107 -
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CHAPTER SIX The Tophet: Different Fragments of the Same Story? Or Data Wrongly Assembled Ex Post Facto?
123 -
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CHAPTER SEVEN New Directions in the Urban Archaeology of Tharros: The Cincinnati Excavations
149 -
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Contributors
179
Publishing information
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
eBook published on:
October 25, 2025
eBook ISBN:
9780231563338
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
eBook ISBN:
9780231563338
Audience(s) for this book
For an expert adult audience, including professional development and academic research
