Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: pozzo sacro

This place just south of Silanus, named "Santa Sabina" (aka "Santa Sarbana"), seems to be "Sardinia in a nutshell". Here are a nuraghe, a "byzantine" church, a holy well, two "Tombs of the Giants" and foundations of a prehistoric village. And somehow all these structures seem "interconnected". This is the entrance to the "pozzo sacro", the holy well named "Cherchizzu", about 400m north of the Byzantine rotunda and the nurhage (previous uploads) - and once part of the Bronze Age settlement. The well was dicovered in 1881, but soon after forgotten and abandoned for many decades. Meanwhile excavations have been undertaken and the monument is dated to 12th to 10th century bC. The well is completely beneath the ground. The corridor, that runs down is about 5 m long. It looked very narrow - and so I did not dare to enter the tholos down below.

This place just south of Silanus, named "Santa Sabina" (aka "Santa Sarbana"), seems to be "Sardinia in a nutshell". Here are a nuraghe, a "byzantine" church, a holy well, two "Tombs of the Giants" and foundations of a prehistoric village. And somehow all these structures seem "interconnected". This is the entrance to the "pozzo sacro", the holy well named "Cherchizzu", about 400m north of the Byzantine rotunda and the nurhage (previous uploads) - and once part of the Bronze Age settlement. The well was dicovered in 1881, but soon after forgotten and abandoned for many decades. Meanwhile excavations have been undertaken and the monument is dated to 12th to 10th century bC. The well is completely beneath the ground.

This place just south of Silanus, named "Santa Sabina" (aka "Santa Sarbana"), seems to be "Sardinia in a nutshell". Here are a nuraghe, a "byzantine" church, a holy well, two "Tombs of the Giants" and foundations of a prehistoric village. And somehow all these structures seem "interconnected". "Santa Sabina" is a rotunda with two added side chapels, erected between the 10th and the 12th century. Standing under the dome.

This place just south of Silanus, named "Santa Sabina" (aka "Santa Sarbana"), seems to be "Sardinia in a nutshell". Here are a nuraghe, a "byzantine" church, a holy well, two "Tombs of the Giants" and foundations of a prehistoric village. And somehow all these structures seem "interconnected". Inside "Santa Sabina", a rotunda with two added side chapels, erected between the 10th and the 12th century.

This place just south of Silanus, named "Santa Sabina" (aka "Santa Sarbana"), seems to be "Sardinia in a nutshell". Here are a nuraghe, a "byzantine" church, a holy well, two "Tombs of the Giants" and foundations of a prehistoric village. And somehow all these structures seem "interconnected". "Santa Sabina", a rotunda with two added side chapels, was erected between the 10th and the 12th century. To the left a part of the neighbouring nurhage can be seen.

This place just south of Silanus, named "Santa Sabina" (aka "Santa Sarbana"), seems to be "Sardinia in a nutshell". Here are a nuraghe, a "byzantine" church, a holy well, two "Tombs of the Giants" and foundations of a prehistoric village. And somehow all these structures seem "interconnected". The nuraghe has a diameter of 12,60m and is still more than 8m high. Erected during the Bronze Age (1600-1000 bC). The church "Santa Sabina", a rotunda with two added side chapels, was erected between the 10th and the 12th century.

"San Salvatore di Sinis" is the name of an uninhabited, kind of "empty" village, built around the small church "San Salvatore di Sinis". The houses of the village are "muristenes" or "cumbessias", only used by pilgrims during the festivities. These houses date to the 17th century, though the "cultural spot" here is known already since Bronze Age times. Where the small and humble church "San Salvatore di Sinis" is now, were already Punic (aka Carthaginian) and later the Roman temples. These were built here over a hypogeum with a Nuragic holy well. As the rooms of the hypogeum ("Ipogeo di San Salvatore") were once used as a prison, there are many graffiti all around. I have the impression that there is some Arabic script, maybe a trace of the 16th century Ottoman Wars.

"San Salvatore di Sinis" is the name of an uninhabited, kind of "empty" village, built around the small church "San Salvatore di Sinis". The houses of the village are "muristenes" or "cumbessias", only used by pilgrims during the festivities. These houses date to the 17th century, though the "cultural spot" here is known already since Bronze Age times. Where the small and humble church "San Salvatore di Sinis" is now, were already Punic (aka Carthaginian) and later the Roman temples. These were built here over a hypogeum with a Nuragic holy well. As the rooms of the hypogeum ("Ipogeo di San Salvatore") were once used as a prison, there are many graffiti all around.

"San Salvatore di Sinis" is the name of an uninhabited, kind of "empty" village, built around the small church "San Salvatore di Sinis". The houses of the village are "muristenes" or "cumbessias", only used by pilgrims during the festivities. These houses date to the 17th century, though the "cultural spot" here is known already since Bronze Age times. Where the small and humble church "San Salvatore di Sinis" is now, were already Punic (aka Carthaginian) and later the Roman temples. These were built here over a hypogeum with a Nuragic holy well. In the center of the hypogeum ("Ipogeo di San Salvatore") is the holy well and a small altar. As the rooms were once used as a prison, there are many graffiti all around.

"San Salvatore di Sinis" is the name of an uninhabited, kind of "empty" village, built around the small church "San Salvatore di Sinis". The houses of the village are "muristenes" or "cumbessias", only used by pilgrims during the festivities. These houses date to the 17th century, though the "cultural spot" here is known already since Bronze Age times. Where the small and humble church "San Salvatore di Sinis" is now, were already Punic (aka Carthaginian) and later the Roman temples. These were built here over a hypogeum with a Nuragic holy well. Inside the church a small stair leads down to the well (seen in the background). The hypogeum ("Ipogeo di San Salvatore") was once used as a prison, so there are many graffiti.

"San Salvatore di Sinis" is the name of an uninhabited, kind of "empty" village, built around the small church "San Salvatore di Sinis". The houses of the village are "muristenes" or "cumbessias", only used by pilgrims during the festivities. These houses date to the 17th century, though the "cultural spot" here is known already since Bronze Age times. Where the small and humble church "San Salvatore di Sinis" is now, were already Punic (aka Carthaginian) and later the Roman temples. These were built here over a hypogeum with a Nuragic holy well. Inside the church a small stair leads down to the well.

"San Salvatore di Sinis" is the name of an uninhabited, kind of "empty" village, built around the small church "San Salvatore di Sinis". The houses of the village are "muristenes" or "cumbessias", only used by pilgrims during the festivities. These houses date to the 17th century, though the "cultural spot" here is known already since Bronze Age times. Here is the small and humble church "San Salvatore di Sinis". Already the Punics (aka "Carthaginians") and later the Romans had a temple erected exactly here. All temples and chaples were built here over a hypogeum with a Nuragic holy well. What now seem to be abandoned, gets really crowded for about a week end of September. Then the "Corsa degli Scalzi" takes place. This is a procession undertaken by hundreds of men from Cabras to San Salvatore - running barefoot and carrying a statue. A week later the statue will return to Cabras. www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GsRHDHWgXU

The archaeological area of Santa Cristina just south of Paulilatino covers about one hectar. It was a place of cultural activities over thousands of years, from Bronze Age to - today. Just about 200m apart from the nuraghe and maybe some centuries younger is the nuragic sacred well, built with basalt rocks during the Final Bronze Era, between the 9th and the 11th century BC. One of the many enigmas, Sardinia has to offer, and the center of dozens of different theories. It consists out of a vestibule, a staircase and a hypogeum. The staircase has 25 steps that gradually shorten (from 3,47 m for the first step to 1,40 of the last one). The well is in a "beehive tomb" (= "tholos"), that is 2,5m in diameter and 7 m high. The tholos has an oculus in the top, from where I took this self portrait.

The archaeological area of Santa Cristina just south of Paulilatino covers about one hectar. It was a place of cultural activities over thousands of years, from Bronze Age to - today. Just about 200m apart from the nuraghe and maybe some centuries younger is the nuragic sacred well, built with basalt rocks during the Final Bronze Era, between the 9th and the 11th century BC. One of the many enigmas, Sardinia has to offer, and the center of dozens of different theories. It consists out of a vestibule, a staircase and a hypogeum. The staircase room, has 25 steps that gradually shorten (from 3,47 m for the first step to 1,40 of the last one). The staircase is covered by a ceiling reproducing a kind of overturned flight of steps. The room that is over there is 2,50 m of diameter and nearly 7 meters of height. It is built of squared stones that create protruding walls. On the floor there is the holy spring, that is still active.

The archaeological area of Santa Cristina just south of Paulilatino covers about one hectar. It was a place of cultural activities over thousands of years, from Bronze Age to - today. Just about 200m apart from the nuraghe and maybe some centuries younger is the nuragic sacred well, built with basalt rocks during the Final Bronze Era, between the 9th and the 11th century BC. One of the many enigmas, Sardinia has to offer, and the center of dozens of different theories. It consists out of a vestibule, a staircase and a hypogeum. The staircase has 25 steps that gradually shorten (from 3,47 m for the first step to 1,40 of the last one). The well is in a "beehive tomb" (= "tholos"), that is 2,5m in diameter and 7 m high. Light floods in from the stairs - and from an oculus above.

The archaeological area of Santa Cristina just south of Paulilatino covers about one hectar. It was a place of cultural activities over thousands of years, from Bronze Age to - today. Just about 200m apart from the nuraghe and maybe some centuries younger is the nuragic sacred well, built with basalt rocks during the Final Bronze Era, between the 9th and the 11th century BC. One of the many enigmas, Sardinia has to offer, and the center of dozens of different theories. It consists out of a vestibule, a staircase and a hypogeum. The staircase room, has 25 steps that gradually shorten (from 3,47 m for the first step to 1,40 of the last one). The staircase is covered by a ceiling reproducing a kind of overturned flight of steps. The room that is over there is 2,50 m of diameter and nearly 7 meters of height. It is built of squared stones that create protruding walls. On the floor there is the holy spring, that is still active.

The archaeological area of Santa Cristina just south of Paulilatino covers about one hectar. It was a place of cultural activities over thousands of years, from Bronze Age to - today. Just about 200m apart from the nuraghe and maybe some centuries younger is the nuragic sacred well, built with basalt rocks during the Final Bronze Era, between the 9th and the 11th century BC. One of the many enigmas, Sardinia has to offer, and the center of dozens of different theories. It consists out of a vestibule, a staircase and a hypogeum. Some rows of stones remain of the vestibule, drawing a keyhole shape, surrounded by another row, called "thémenos", forming a large ellipse (26m x 20m).