Sulci

Sulki or Sulcis is now the name of a countryside of southwestern Sardinia, in the province of Carbonia -Iglesias.

The name derives from the Phoenician and Punic settlement Sulki on that 108 km ² island of Sulcis archipelago, which today, as their 12,000 inhabitants counting capital S. Antioco means. She was like any other start-ups ( Monte Sirai ) surrounded by a strong wall, the remains of which can still be seen.

Foundation

The Phoenicians founded 900-700 BC with Tharros, Sulki (Roman Sulcis ), Nora and Karales (Roman Caralis, today Cagliari) in Sardinia the first towns as independent city states and trading stations. Proof of this is the stele of Nora, the oldest written testimony of the western Mediterranean. The island already in prehistoric connected by a three- kilometer-long causeway to the mainland was visited mainly due to their lead, but also iron ore, copper, silver and zinc deposits. Sulki, which is below the present town of S. Antioco was from 550 BC a colony of Carthage, BC passed into Roman rule 238.

Prehistory

Not far from Sulki menhirs were found ( Menhir of Terrazzu ) that reference it together with finds such as the obsidian from Monte Arci, that this part of Sardinia was inhabited by farmers ( since the 6th millennium BC). Under the Shelter of Tatinu - Santadi there were traces of Bono Ighinu culture.

The buildings

Punic necropolis of the 5th to the 3rd century are also known from Ibiza, Puig des Molins (Mallorca) and Tuvixeddu in Cagliari, where they are better preserved because no subsequent uses have been made as a Christian catacombs.

The Tophet on the Trachythügel Sulcis was therefore only recognized as a sacrificial site of Baalkulte because there were biblical texts about burnt offerings of Palestinian children in the room, but there were not yet discovered. Only the excavation of the lagoon of Salambǒ, in the ruined city of Carthage showed that Tephatim also existed outside the Levant. In Sardinia Bithia, Nora, Monte Sirai and Tharros are reliably recognized as such places. Some other places are in discussion. Found on the Tephatim urns and votive stelae are mostly in the Museum of Cagliari, in the case Sulki but also to see the spot in the " Antiquarium ".

For about 750 years the Roman period (238 BC to 534 AD), the remains of the ancient port and a bridge come.

From the 4th and 5th century Phoenician- Christian catacombs and a largely intact labyrinthine tunnel system under the old town find. Some houses use even today the ancient grave chambers with rows of niches as a cellar. Publicly accessible are the catacombs of the "Basilica di Sant'Antioco " and the caves next to the ethnographic museum. In Sant'Antioco, which is named after the patron saint of the island, 15 days after Easter probably the oldest festival of the island, the " Sagra " celebrated. About the cave, died in the Sant'Antioco Martire, the Basilica was built in the 5th century. In honor of the patron saint was probably committed the great festival in the 12th century. 1124, leaving a judge from Cagliari to the Holy even the island, which therefore bears his name.

The Aftertime

The city was often pillaged by Saracen pirates and was abandoned in the 16th century. Built in 1812 Fortino Sabaudo (also known as Su Pisu ) was destroyed shortly afterwards by Corsican pirates. In the vicinity are partly still in use burrows.