Sardinia

History

Sardinia has been populated since Neolithic times and has been home to many differing cultures ever since. You can see evidence of these successive layers of history all over the island. A later, extensive, Bronze-age culture left its mark in the unique nuraghi, huge stone towers which dot the landscape and whose true purpose remain unclear, and in massive stone burial sites known as Tombe dei Giganti or "Giants' Tombs," like those of the Li Loghi complex near Arzachena which are still visible today.

Roman Occupation

Sardinia's position in the centre of the Mediterranean always ensured outside interest. Successive waves of invaders - the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians and the Romans - arrived from around 1000BC, with varying success in subduing the native population. Sardinians tended to flee inland from these invasions, which is one reason why there are relatively few coastal settlements today. However, the invaders also brought with them new methods of agriculture, established towns and infrastructure, such as the Roman road network and the Cagliari amphitheatre.

Genoese & Aragonese Occupation

In the eleventh century, the cities of Pisa and Genoa sent troops to the island to end a period of Arab-led invasions, and trading links between the island and the rest of the Mediterranean were increased. Four centuries later, after a prolonged campaign of warfare, Sardinia succumbed to Catalan rule in the 1400s. The Aragonese remained the ruling power until the early eighteenth century, establishing strong links with Alghero in particular; a version of Catalan is still spoken in the town today.

Italian Rule

In 1861, Sardinia became part of the united Italy, which the Italian national hero Garibaldi helped to create (his tomb on the Sardinian island of Caprera is a national shrine). Despite unity, the island continued to suffer from Italian speculators exploiting natural resources such as metal ores and forests to the detriment of Sardinians. Poverty was rife, and the rise of Fascism between the two World Wars widened the split between town and countryside. In 1948, the island was granted autonomy over regional infrastructure such as police, forestry and transport. Since then it has become the splendid holiday destination we know today.

Culture, Language & Religion

The first language of Sardinia is Italian, although the Sardinian language, Sardo, is still widely spoken. A remarkably rich language, Sardo varies greatly from area to area, even from village to village, with Latin, Arabic, Spanish and Catalan influences reflecting the turbulence of the island's past.

Festivals & Events in Sardinia

Sardinians are friendly and polite with a strong sense of tradition and a passion for their island. This is reflected in their many festivals and events that take place throughout the year. Sardinians love to indulge in good food which is not surprising when you sample their delicious produce. Families play an important part in society and it is not uncommon to see groups of family and friends gathering for an enormous feast on Sunday.
Life in Sardinia is unpretentious and simple compared to that of other countries. Many islanders are still employed in the agricultural industry and you may notice that there are few or no extremes of wealth. That said, Sardinia is a warm and welcoming island, rich in tradition that will dazzle you with its beauty and leave you wanting more.

Religion

Sardinia, like much of mainland Italy, is a fiercely Christian society with most of the population being Roman Catholic with a good proportion of the population still attending Sunday mass.
Yet because of the island’s intensely vivid sense of its past, many of the religious festivals are imbued with a strongly pagan feel, and can be a real sight to behold.
Here are a good number of small chapels dotted around the Sardinian countryside, called chiese novenari – most of which would be very easy to miss, except during times of pilgrimage. At these times the small lodgings that surround these chapels fill with pilgrims who have come to venerate the saint honoured in the church. You may also spot various roadside shrines, often portraying the Virgin Mary.