Monte d'Accoddi

Monte Accoddi is a significant archaeological site 10 km north of the provincial capital of Sassari in the province of Sassari in Sardinia. First traces of settlement in the area are more than 6,200 years old, the main building was probably begun before 3000 BC.

The origin of the name Monte Accoddi is not clear, but he could be on the Sardinian expression Monte de code ( mountain of stone ) due, which describes the structure of the megalithic complex. The terrace of Monte Accoddi was used as a base for anti-aircraft guns during the Second World War by Italian troops and only then rediscovered as artificially constructed building.

The monument was excavated in the 1950s by E. Contu. It is a two-phase built pyramid- shaped structure of 36 × 29 m, built of large stones hardly edited, filled with other material with a 9 m wide and 41.8 m long long ramp that leads to the upper platform.

Such a structure is unique to the Mediterranean, but it is similar to the Mesopotamian temples, especially the stepped ziggurats of the 3rd millennium BC Further excavations were undertaken 1979-1989. Test excavations revealed that the complex was constructed in at least two phases and was repeatedly given up and used again.

A village near consisted of round huts. It dates to about 4500 BC In a sacred area beneath the later erected pyramid, the 4.7 m long remnant of a menhir of limestone and a plate of 3.15 × 3.07 m was found, which was resting on supports which are about 70 cm high. Because of their perforation, it is regarded as an altar for libations and sacrifices. Another Trachyttafel (1.96 × 1.90 m) was found to the right of the ramp.

This first sanctuary, which is attributable to the late Neolithic Ozieri culture, was of the first ramp partially covered. The ramp of the first pyramid ended on a broad platform on which a rectangular building of 5 × was 15 m, which represented the central place of worship. From the plastered, painted red structure, only the boundary, about a 70 cm high wall received. Access was flanked by two postholes. The excavation revealed that the first pyramid and its temple were destroyed by fire. After everything was covered with earth and stone layers, the pyramid and the ramp was built larger than before, and again erected several meters above the old a new place of worship.

There are five C-14 data from Monte Accoddi. Two come from the bottom of the First Temple ( 3020 and 2970 BC) and two little younger from the ground around the monument. The fifth sample is derived from a layer which accumulated around the monument during the second phase ( 2590 BC).

The second pyramid remained during the Chalcolithic in use as relics documenting that were found in huts that lay near the base of the pyramid. The artifacts belong to the cultures of Abealzu - Filigosa, the Monte Claro culture and the Bell Beaker culture. During the Bonnyrigg culture in the Early Bronze Age ( late 3rd early 2nd millennium ), the pyramid was no longer in use. From this time only the funeral of a child was found in a corner of the upper part of the pyramid.

Half of the profile of the second pyramid has been reconstructed and the other half is left in the state.