The area of the Gulf of Oristano (fig. 1-2) is a perfect shape for the landing of ships, as the two headlands, San Marco in the north and Frasca in the south, outline a spread of water that is sheltered from the strong, predominant Mistral winds.

Fig. 1 - The Gulf of Oristano with the two headlands that are its borders (from Google Earth. Review C. Tronchetti)The end point of Capo San Marco (photo by Unicity S.p.A.)

Fig. 2 - The end point of Capo San Marco (photo by Unicity S.p.A.)

In addition to this, the area is rich in water and resources (games, fish and agriculture) and the native communities were well organised, and could be referred to for the acquisition of previous mineral resources from the nearby Monti Ferru. These are the reasons why the area was frequented from the Bronze Age by navigators from the Eastern Mediterranean who were mainly searching for minerals.

In the Iron Age, starting from the 9th century B.C., the Phoenicians came here more regularly and this can be perceived by the penetration of important items or locally made items imitating the foreign ones, inland (figs. 3-4).

Fig. 3 - Bronze statue from the holy well of Santa Cristina di Paulilatino (9-8th century B.C.). Local product that imitates similar near-Eastern items (from BERNARDINI 2010)

Fig. 4 - Bronze Cypriot torch found in San Vero Milis (end of 8th-beginning of 7th century B.C.) (Archaeological Superintendency Archive)

The newly arrived people settled in the local communities, starting up a peaceful, profitable cohabitation. As time went by, the flow of external people increased, to the point that small settlements merged into the new urban centre of Tharros. We do not know its location exactly but the fact that there are Phoenician incineration tombs in the north and south of the Punic and Roman city indicates that the area of the first urban centre must have been in this sector. The foundation of the Tophet on the Su Muru Mannu hill in the last decades of the 7th century B.C. shows that the city was now fully established.