Tharros

Tharros (also Tharras, Tarrae or Tarras ) is an ancient city on the west coast of Sardinia, of the residues can only be obtained. It is located 20 km west of Oristano in the province of the same name, on the partially only 100 m wide southern tip of the Sinis Peninsula. The name Tharros first appeared on a Roman milestone.

Founded by Nuraghern, the place was built by the Phoenicians to the city and taken over by the Carthaginians and Romans. Between 827 and 1070 AD, it was the capital of giudicato Arborea. Ibn Jubayr reported in 1183 that he had seen a ruined city when his ship was looking at the Sardinian promontory before a storm protection.

History

The earliest findings in Tharros suggest a settlement in the 13th and 12th centuries BC. Have been a Phoenician trading post from the 8th century BC must Tharros. This is indicated by the ruins of an acropolis, two Tepathim Phoenician origin. From Punic period shows a 120 m long pier that Tharros BC an important port and trading town was in the 6th and 5th centuries.

The Romans defeated the Carthaginians 215 BC and fit shortly afterwards the city to meet your needs. Among other things, wide streets were created, which were covered with black basalt plates; were added water lines and a sewer under the road, spas and a hexagonal baptistery created ...

Are very close to Tharros two other attractions: the early medieval Byzantine church of San Giovanni di Sinis and the accessible in summer Ipogeo di San Salvatore.

Finds

Perhaps the oldest, but not found in regular excavations objects are bronze figures of Nuraghen. They found Cypriot -Mycenaean pottery dating from around 1000 BC, which is indicative of maritime trade. In no other Phoenician- Punic settlement on Sardinia have been found appropriate quantities of imported pottery. Tharros apparently maintained in the 8th and 7th centuries close relations with the Etruscans, after Buccherovasen point. Giovanni Spano estimated the yield from over 100 looted tombs of it taken in imported gold to about 4000 scarabs made ​​of agate, Egyptian glass river, jasper from Monte Arci, carnelian, lapis lazuli and glazed clay, half.