Finds

Stone artefact decorated with a “fiery eyes” pattern (Thomes)

Among the material elements recovered from the giants’ tomb of Thomes there was a stone fragmented object (dimensions: 7.5x4.4 cm), of indefinable shape, perhaps a quadrangular plate, consisting of two straight parts which fit together (fig. 1).

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Fig. 1 - Decorated stone artefact from Thomes (from MORAVETTI 1980, table XXXII.9)

The piece is characterised by a decoration made with a punch, which consists of small circles with a central point called "fiery eyes" decoration.

The "fiery eyes" decoration was very common in Sardinia both in prehistoric- proto-historic ages and the medieval age; it was frequent on objects made of bone, stone, ceramic, bronze, and was used for a long period of time, and in different cultural environments, ranging from the early second millennium B.C. to the sixth-seventh century A.D.

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Fig. 2 - Brassard (plaque for an archer’s arm guard) with bone housing decorated with "fiery eyes", from Domus XIII in the underground necropolis of Anghelu Ruju-Alghero (from LILLIU 1999, fig. 173, p. 141).
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Fig. 3 - Heart-shaped oil lamp from the Su Nuraxi-Barumini Nuraghic complex dated to the IX-VIII centuries B.C. decorated with circled "fiery eyes" (from BAGELLA 2014, p. 261).
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Fig. 4 - Bone comb from Santa Filitica (from ROVINA, GARAU, MAMELI, WILKENS, fig. 13.7, p. 264).

The artefact is on display in the Archaeological Museum of Dorgali.

Bibliografia

  • BAGELLA S., Lucerna cuoriforme-scheda 38, in MORAVETTI A., ALBA L., FODDAI L. (a cura di), La Sardegna Nuragica. Storia e materiali, Sassari 2014, pag. 261.
  • LILLIU G., Arte e religione della Sardegna prenuragica, Sassari 1999, p.141.
  • MORAVETTI A., Tombe di giganti nel Dorgalese, in Dorgali. Documenti Archeologici, Sassari 1980, p. 98, Tav. XXX.9.
  • PULACCHINI D., Serra Orrios e i monumenti archeologici di Dorgali, Sardegna Archeologica. Guide e itinerari, 27, Sassari 1998, p. 39.
  • ROVINA D., GARAU E., MAMELI P., WILKENS B., Attività produttive nell'insediamento romano a altomedievale di Santa Filitica (Sorso-SS), in Erentzias, Rivista della Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici per le province di Sassari e Nuoro, pp. 245-2681, Sassari 2011, pp. 245-268.

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