The Nuragic Civilisation of Bronze Age Sardinia
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- čas přidán 17. 06. 2024
- Three thousand years ago, on the island of Sardinia, flourished a remarkable society.
Right across the island, between about 1800 BC to 800 BC, they constructed around ten thousand astonishing stone structures called nuraghes. The ruins of around 7,000 of these structures can be seen today.
Evidence for the kind of society this was, is also seen in the unique bronze figurines and models that they left behind. Hundreds of these show armoured warriors bearing bows, swords and shields, along with the horned helmets they wore into battle.
This society reached its peak in the late bronze age when their influence spread beyond their home island. Sardinian material culture from this era is found as far away as Crete while at the same time Mycenaean pottery and Cypriot bronzes appear all over Sardinia.
So who were these people? Why did they build thousands of these enormous, complex structures? Were they really as warlike as their figurines suggest? And what happened to them?
This is the story of the Nuragic Civilisation.
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Video Chapters
00:00 The Nuragic Civilisation
01:15 Neolithic Sardinia
03:28 The Bell Beaker Invasion
05:49 The Nuraghe Towers
09:10 Nuragic Warrior Figurines
12:35 Nuragic Temples
13:20 Giant's Tombs
16:41 The End of the Nuragic Civilisation
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The look very similar to structures in Scotland!
Don’t wanna.
you have to tell the truth of history not lie this belongs to the pelagic ilirian people not making up history
15:02 15:07 15:11 😊
As a Sardinian archaeologist, I'm amazed by the level of detail you went through in this video. Just to let your subscribers know, the information you reported was correct and very precise. I have to say thank you for spreading the knowledge of our ancient culture. Just one more thing. In the last years, it's more and more spread the idea that the "nuragic" bronzes are not the reflection of the nuraghi builders, but of the people from the next phase late bronze age/iron age. Also, the funerary practices change, abandoning the old giant's tombs for single burials. Votive swords and "bronzetti" were made when the towers were built no more. The culture it's always "nuragic" but the phases are differentiated. Anyway, this is a matter of discussion between archaeologists. Thanks again for your excellent work.
I love reading the comments on this channel. It truly is a very informed, educated audience here. Very enjoyable!
Thank you, my friend 🙏
What ethnic were the nuraghi people?
@@DanDavisHistory You should maybe rethink the thumbnail tho.
I saw your comment after I had made mine. I'm sure that you could answer my question. Has anything similar been found in Corsica? Given that the two islands are so close together, I would be surprised if they did not share similarities.
I spent three weeks solo exploring the northern half of Sardinia in September 2018. I am not superstitious or easily spooked, but many places on the island are truly eerie. I visited a number of Nuragic sights, and was often the only person there. I got caught in a thunderstorm at one of them, and it suddenly felt like I had been transported back in time. Yes, the beaches there are nice, but the history of Sardinia is compelling and unique.
Are they something you're allowed to approach or are they properly fenced off? I don't want to enter one but I'd love to get close enough to see properly but far enough not to damage them.
@@nickcollins7562 Some of the bigger sites are fenced off and charge admission, but there are many small ones scattered around the countryside that are not. Keep in mind that the Sardinians ignored these places completely until very recently when the tourists started showing an interest in them.
@patrickfitzgerald2861 We didn't ignore them, you always have them in front of you and after a while you don't pay attention to them. The first real excavations began in the 1700s, and out of curiosity, there are still complex nuraghi buried under tens of metres of mud, one of which was the one at Barumini.
When i was a child we went to Sardinia for Vacation, and i managed to convince my parents to visit multiple ruins of this civilization. I only knew them from a comic where the nuragic ruins were mentioned. that was a really special experience, reading about an ancient civilization and then being able to not only see the ruins, but being there. One of my best memories from childhood.
Sounds amazing. I hope I can visit them too, one day
Which comic book?
@@MrBl3ki it was an old disney comic book, they're called "Lustiges Taschenbuch" in German.
In one of those there was a story where Scrooge McDuck would travel to Sardinia with his nephews in search of a lost Civilization (and a treasure ofcourse). This turned out to be the nuragic Civilization.
I gotta say, those old Disney comics really knew how to get children interested in History.
@@vladtheinhaler9744 Danke schoen. I was actually planning on finding good German graphic novels to learn the language, but classical comics would probably do the trick as well.
@@MrBl3ki i think they'd be perfect, as the language isnt too complex (that can be a problem with german literature :D)
i cant speak for the newer stuff, but the old volumes still hold up today, i can recommend basically everything from the 70s upto the early 2000s.
Also if you are a fan of fantasy i can especially recommend the Series "Donjon". It is a french series, but everythings available in german aswell. Its a satire on the fantasy genre and my favourite graphic novel after Kentaro Miura's "Berserk".
As a Sardinian (from the mountains👹) myself i'm so glad our traditions and roots are catching progressively more interest and curiosity on the international scene, we truly have some astonishing archeological and cultural proof left of our great past, this is the first time i see a video so detailed in English language, a great work of yours, thanks.
I would also suggest for the profanes to give a look to my city's (Nuoro) mask parade, they are all masks connected to the pagan culture that survived in Barbagia until few centuries ago, and are indeed very cool to see 😎.
Thank you so much 🙏
its kind of amazing to think that even though nuragics seem like a lost civilization, their core group of people are still thriving and expanding well into the modern age
Uee, inoche unu sardu?? Ite cosa, fiat s'ora!
Mi spiace solo che non riescano a darle più valore, se lo facessero sarebbe una regione ricca di un turismo alternativo e non solo .. bisogna ricordare che questa isola non e fatta solo di spiagge e che la si potrebbe far vivere tutto l'anno. Sono cresciuta nella storia, nell'arte e nell'archeologia e so che tipo di valore immenso e non solo può dare questa terra , e magari "forse" esagero ma su certi aspetti abbiamo più fascino , curiosità e mistero noi che di tutto ciò che potrebbe offrire l'intera città di Roma.
"Abbiamo le stesse radici barbaricine anche se io vivo dall'altra parte dell'isola 😁 .. "
Non conviene mostrargli troppo. Siamo orgogliosi e gelosi di ciò che abbiamo. È roba nostra. I nostri terreni piacciono talmente tanto che cominciano a espropriare per fare pali eolici
Still today, Sardinia is one of the culturally most conservative places in Europe. Their language conserved features of Latin pronunciation that are gone in all other modern Romance languages.
Culturally conservative sounds like we beat women or something. Linguistically you mean
@@antoniousai1989 Dunno whether they have conserved (or acquired) misogynistic traditions and to what degree, but by virtue of their geographic isolation cultural shifts only have trickled slowly to the steep island.
@@burkhardstackelberg1203We didn't. Ancient and medieval Sardinia had a matriarchal society for most of the time. Women were worshipped and were the head of the house. Plus, we had two female queens during the Middle Ages, one of whom, namely Eleonora D'Arborea (Eleanor from Arborea) wrote one of the first national democratic constitutions in history.
A study published in ScienceDirect in 2022, analysing the genetic structure of present-day Greek, and Italian populations, confirmed the Sardinians' status as an outlier in the Italian gene pool, stating that "Modern Italians, with the exception of Sardinians, are very different from the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age individuals from the same area, with some resemblance only in Iron Age samples."
Keep doing that
Very good video, as always. I’m Italian and i’ve spent many summer holidays in Sardinia, it’s an amazing place with stunning beaches. And everywhere you go you can see nuraghis, some are as big as massive medieval castles. When you think of their age it’s amazing that the nuragic civilization is so little know outside Italy.
what's the easiest way to get to Sardinia? I'm living in Spain and would love to see these structures in person. Which of the nuraghi is the most accessible? Thank you!
As a French history fan, I was super hyped when I learnt about the Nuragic civilization. I thought Sardinians inhabitants were mostly similar to our local Celts & Ligurians, but then I was baffled when I started to learn about the nuraghi. Made sure my parents got a lot of pictures when they visited Sardinia !
@@haydenarias what do you mean with accessible? You can visit the biggest ones, just like su Nuraxi of Barumini (my village) + Nuraxi 'e Cresia, nuraghe Losa, nuraghe Arrubiu, nuraghe is Paras, nuraghe Santu Antine... and a lot more!
It's know very little in Italy and in Sardinia too alas, I must say
@@haydenarias I would say from Barcellona to Alghero, by flight. It should be well connected by a couple of Spanish airlines. EasyJet too...
This topic is a favorite of mine. I've always been so interested in this culture. I spent 8 months in italy but never got a chance to go to Sardinia to look at their tombs. It's on my bucket list.
sardinia is so remarkably beautiful in all its parts. such a gorgeous place to live and strive
Bellissima descrizione, finalmente qualcuno che descrive la nostra antica storia! Per chi non ha mai visto la nostra isola è un buon inizio..👍
Thank you for this documentary. I am Sardinian and I would like you make another video on Sardinian culture please 🙂
Sardinia is on my bucket list to visit
As a Sardinian anthropology, I'm very glad that you brought this studies about the ancient Nuragic Civilisation. Great work.
Wow. Every time I start thinking I have a half-decent grasp of what was going on in the ancient world, I get a nice surprise like this. I'd love to see more like this, only about other somewhat isolated places. It's fascinating, how long-lasting cultures change over time, due to changes in environment or contact with outsiders. Cultures that manages to retain their identity, despite outside groups invading, always amaze me. I've paid too much attention to the larger, more powerful civilizations;, and not enough to the ones that didn't go out and conquer all their neighbors. How many other cultures have I ignored? No idea, but I'm getting more interested lately.
I can't think of the name of the islands in the Atlantic that I'm thinking of, but I've been seeing videos about them popping up recently. Until those appeared in my feed, I'd barely remembered those islands existed...and no idea that they'd been inhabited for thousands of years. Humans seem to have gotten to just about any inhabitable land you can name, long enough ago that we barely know anything at all about them. I think it would be interesting to do a sort of survey of all these little places, especially the ones that haven't been studied extensively.
We're still here
I was once in the holidays in Sardinia and we visited a few of the Giant Tombs, a Nuraghe with a small village around & high in the mountains the ruins of an old and hidden perhaps Nuraghe...? However they were quite impressive and astonishing and i will never forget the very strange and undefinable, intuitive, physical feeling that i had, when we visited the Giant Tomb of Sa Grutta de' Santu Giuanni / San Cosimo, Moru and Lo Loghli ! On this locations there is something that you can't explain, but you can feel it and the feeling of that remains strongely in your memory.
I'm sardinian and I like a lot your video! You could have mention Mont 'e Prama worriors too, but what you said is so well detailed I am thinking you have sardinian blood too!
And thanks also because you showed the Nuraghe of my village, Barumini (in the thumbnail too)
Thank you very much. They're amazing but I was pushed for time and had to cut a lot out. And yes the site at Barumini is very well studied, there are many papers on its development. Fascinating place.
Are you Stefano from ESN?
@@lollal4901 ESN? What's that? If it is Erasmus, nope ahaha
@@stefanopani2848 Ah alright, I know a Stefano Pani from Sardegna, but then you are someone different I guess :D
@@lollal4901 I think so, I neverd did an Erasmus ahaha I'm happy to know I have a homonym! Now you know two of us :D
Wow I was always fascinated with the Bronze Age and how little we know about the sea people. Had no idea they were called Sherden.
It’s surprising this video would be recommended to me on the same day I got my DNA results back and discovered I’m 2% Sardinian.
I found out that I have Sardinia blood even though I am Irish. Apparently traceable from 1650 to 1725 window. What kind of travellor was he, maybe mercenary during war of 1690 between King James and William of Orange or seaman or cleric? Since this discovery I have been interested in all things Sardinian.
@@seanmollahan553 That’s pretty much my story, except my heritage is almost entirely Orkney Islander and Northern Irish. Imagine if we had the same Sardinian ancestor. Some wandering mercenary ‘befriending’ the local girls as he explored the British Isles.
@@CaptainLuckyLuke What makes us assume it wasn't some adventuress with a wanderlust?
Having spent 6 months in Sardinia in the early 90s I've always wondered about these buildings and the people that built them, thanks you for answering so many questions I had, that i had never been able to find answers for.
It's these types of videos that convince me of how valuable CZcams can be and I am grateful it exists.
Hello from Italy.
The seafaring abilities of these ancient peoples astounds me. Even without metal, they made and navigated craft capable of transporting huge cargoes or large numbers of people.
Even reaching the Azores in the mid-Atlantic.
Simply amazing.
Did they reach the Azores? Never heard of that. Can you point me to the source? Many thanks in advance.
@@billmiller4972 we don’t actually know who lived or just visited Azores before the Portuguese. No people, writing, etc was found there’s but there’s evidence of human created stone work on and in the caves there. The lack of writing indicates it whoever it was preliterate.
There’s a recent paper saying could been the Vikings based on the mDNA of a species of mice living there.
@@billmiller4972This is the paper which suggest that Norse settlers arrived in the 8th century . "Vikings in paradise: Were the Norse the first to settle the Azores?" October 2021. Micheal Price
@@billmiller4972 there is evidence of paleolithic habitation on the Azores.
@@markalton2809 Do you know where I can find a study?
Glad the Sardinian culture survived, so many ancient cultures, didn't. Excellent video.
Yesss, another video of an obscure Bronze-Age civilization, I love these!
Absolutely remarkable. So many things describe a sophisticated, long lasting, but forgotten civilization. Sardinians were not mentioned in my History course.
Those figurines are so well crafted, the singular edifications and burial traditions mean we should look deeper. Mediterranean has so many histories that are yet to be discovered.
It doesn't surprise me it wasn't mentioned in your history course, unfortunately... greetings from Sardinia!
Perhaps it's better that way? As it's unknown, it won't get ruined.
I'm working on book project about this fully in English, but im glad that a professional like you comments on a lesser known archeologically rich island
Excellent video, very interesting and informative! I can't help but associate the Nuragic towers with Medieval castles and watchtowers, at least visually. It's almost as if the Middle Ages got dragged back into the Bronze Age. When you mentioned the sacred swords in stones I immediately thought of King Arthur! The Nuragic civilisation was ahead of their time it would seem.
Really? I thought of Scottish brochan.
Because the Normans who built that Medieval world came there from the Brochans of Scotland.
The word Nuraghe itself may mean watchout tower if the Phoenican root Nur is true. Fire would have been the signal for communication between the towers which commonly presided over settlements. A faster way of communication than horse or running.
@adelasia1119 Ogni nuraghe è in contatto visivo con altri 2 o 3.
Thank you, that was the first time I have heard of a connection between the "sea peoples" and the Nuragic civilization of Sardinia.
Read the article " Shardana " in Italian on Wikipedia if you want to learn more about all of this.
I really love the concept of the community tomb. It says a lot about their society 👍
The tombs of the Giants have a shape resembling the female womb, and represented the Mother Goddess, so when one died one was laid to rest inside the womb. Everyone, regardless of class or otherwise, would return to the Mother who had given birth to us.
After more than a dozen visits my fascination with the history and archaeology of this island is matched only by my love of the beautiful landscapes, the cuisine and the people themselves. Wonderful video, thanks! Liked and subscribed
As someone who has been following Corsican and Sardinian archaeology for a while, thank you for making this video! It really is fascinating, and I hope more people see this video
Bellissimo video ,la Sardegna è una terra ricchissima di meraviglie e sorprese che non ti aspetti
This channel has some of the very best historical content on CZcams! Thank you for your incredible work Dan Davis!
Awesome video about my home island. Thank you for advertising it, so more people can come and appreciate it.
It's not only beaches, but archeological sites.
As a matter of fact, the area with most archeological sites per square meters in the world
*AMAZING* I will definitely be visiting Sardinia in the coming months [thankfully I live quite close in Bulgaria]
The ancient name of Sofia was Serdica.
The archeological site of Giarlo had the same architect of the pozzo sacro of Ballao in internal Sardinia.
Uploads from Dan are some of my favorite! been watching since your episode on the corded ware culture and I can't think of a single tv show that ever had me this excited for the next episode!
you never fail to put out great content, thank you for your hard work!
the bronze age and prehistory in general is so damn fascinating, I think I might actually go back to school for archaeo/anthropology
The cultures that made up the Carthaginian vassal states are very interesting but there's so little said about them. I would love to know more about the Balearic islands culture.
Fantastic as usual.. Have had my eyes peeled ever since you teased the video a few days ago and am definitely not disappointed. Missed you, man. Thanks again, Mr. Davis!
Hell yeah, been waiting for you to put out another video! Thanks for sharing this with us boss! We appreciate what you do.
Hard to say who is my favorite between himself and Stefan Milo who is my favorite in this area of CZcams, But Davis is an incredible story teller. Idk how many times I've watched the Tumulus culture video (enough I cam spell it lol)
Awww. Thank you for publishing something this late in December, so close to Xmas. From you, it's like a gift. Your videos are worth every day, every week of waiting. And your voice is the bonus. Yum.
Literally was reading up about this civilisation yesterday, and now you upload a video on them. Amazing how timing works sometimes!
Yeah theres no such thing as coincidence on an a phone or laptop. CZcams uses your other data to recommend videos.
Glad to see this civilization getting more publicity. Great job with this video!
As always, precise, concise, and as compleat as can be expected is this format. Thank you for your time and effort.
You explained this so well. Like your other documentaries. Thank you. I love learning about all the neolithic and bronze age cultures.
This was really well done, many historical presenters seem to try and dumb things down for the audience and throw in a lot of repetitious CG affects and you are presenting facts in a relevant and concise manner
Stunning video, it's been longer than i can remember that i have seen a worthwile video about European ancient archeology. I am stunned by the amounts of detail you provide and think it must be that professionals failed to ever present this in a useful way but you have.
Much impressed by the extensive research behind this video. The visual material is amazing.
I cannot understand why I didn't encounter this culture many years ago when researching the symbolic use of tholos form in classical Greece. It is fascinating and extremely well presented and narrated. Bookmarked! But sadly I no longer research!!
Well that was exactly the quality history content I crave. You have yourself a new subscriber, and I guess I have another travel destination to add to the ever growing list.
Cheers from Teti, Sardinia. Great to see our history on CZcams 💚
This is one of the most amazing channels I have found.
Thank you for this interesting video. I've been once to Sardinia but never knew about their past and it's way more interesting than I thought.
I'm happy to contain this new knowledge.
Thank you for this. I had no awareness of this civilisation and I'm very impressed with their evident social structure and technological expertise.
Very interesting - an impressive culture I knew nothing about! Thank you.
Wish your channel existed when I studied archaeology. Thank you 4 your efforts
I'm Sardinian thanks for this video
Great picture of an ancient civilization and a proud people!
I had a dna test done not so long ago & i have Sardinia in me from my Fathers side. Such wise Ancestors. Thank you, Love leaning about History💚
this is incredible but it demonstrates even more the fact that the ancient Sardinians were great travelers and sailed throughout the Mediterranean and even further along the coasts of the European continent.
Great video, Mr. Davis. Had been looking forward to this for a long time! Glad to finally get my content fix 😂especially with a culture as under-appreciated as this one! That's what I love about this channel: I had never even heard of cultures like the Nuragic, Cucuteni-Trypillia, or Varna before you brought them up. Thanks for all you do. Cheers
Thank you so much, my friend. Appreciate your support as always.
Pretty dense, no fluff, just details. Good visual examples. Awesome video (like most of yours). I like it👍
Another fascinating video, Dan. I'm loving this channel!
your channel is seriously one of the most interesting on youtube. Peering beyond the veil of the past is often the realm of serious academics and conspiracy theorists with their wild conjectures, but you give them so much life with so much actual information. It's such a treat.
The GOAT drops another banger!
Thank you, I enjoy all your material. I intend to treat myself to the Gods of Bronze series for the holidays.
My first impression reminds me of Scottish Brochs off the Iron Age. Great video, love the mix of video and maps.
I'm going to Sardinia soon and wanted to visit at least one historical site. I was scared to land on yet another "alternative archeology" channel but this was so instructive and documented thanks! Plus your voice is very soothing. You have a new subscriber 😊
Another slam dunk right here! Great job!
Thank you so much, I appreciate it mate.
Dan your channel is absolute amazing. and i follow many history channels. My favourites are still your focus on the bronze age. Cant wait to the next video. keep it up!
Thank you so much.
Elite tier historical content on CZcams. Bravo.
This is an amazingly detailed, researched, and well presented video.
Time to make some dinner and learn about yet another civilization I've never heard of! Bless you for this early Xmas present.
A very reasonable and nuanced overview of the subject. Bravo!
Never really knew about this culture. Outstanding documentary.
Oh, the world is rewarding me, Dan has made another video to ease my distress at the dumbing down of society.
This is a high quality program ! The information is well structured , lucid and the delivery very good. The illustrations are well chosen. Thank you . More like this please
Excellent video. Fascinating stuff. Never really read up or researched the bronze age.
Thanks for this. It helps me digest the experience I had visiting several of the nuraghi villages
Fascinating video and extremly well done. I've always had a "soft spot" for the not so well known Nuragic civilisation. It's always hard to get some trustworthy information about it. So thank you for an excellent program.
been waiting for your next vid!! liked even before watching
I learned so much in a short time. Thank you for the excellent research & presentation.
Another great video, I can only hope for a future video on the Atlantic Iberian Bronze age, since that is a very obscure subject.
Best Historical channel hands down.
Fascinating. The bronze figurines are wonderful and make me want to visit the island.
This is great. Morth 02 just ended a video on the first metal artifacts and this video almost flows perfectly with it.
Excellent presentation!!! Thank you Dan ❤
Beautiful video. A testimony of truth. Of a Sardinia still unknown to tourists.
Sardinia is not just sea and holidays, it is also history
history buff from sardinia here. very pleased to see THIS getting the "dan davis treatment". thank you!
Dan, another enjoyable video about a fascinating topic. Nuraghe fascinate me. I know it's kinda wonky to recommend a book to read to an author, but you might enjoy Andrea Atzori's novel "ŠRDN - From Bronze and Darkness" about, not surprisingly, what he thinks the Šrdn were gettin' up to in those nuraghe. I really enjoyed it.
Leonardo Melis too.
The same brilliance and story telling and passion that you have spoiled us into expecting.
And to any other passer by, let me recommend Dan Davis fictional books for the young adults, especially now in Christmas times. Doing this, combining it with your high standard of helping the rest of us perceive the past, it is extremely commendable. I normally just dislike British people but you are an aristocrat of mind, culture and life and a light in the darkness.
Nice channel Dan👍
I am looking forward to watching some videos.
Been waiting for this. Thank you sir
Very interesting and well presented video. The topic is completely new to me, I certainly learned something new here.
I love your videos and always look forward to them.
That was awesome. Loved it. I've never even heard of this civilization. Thank you.
Thank you for the gift of your knowledge and narrative skill! Excellent.
I enjoyed your video (the first one I see) very much. Good content, good voice, a nice logic and scientific story, keep up the good work!
Fascinating to see how bronze age civs without writing could have such complex societies with impressive works, international trade.
Wow...
Finally, a new video after a long time...
Great video as always. Thanks for the work you do. These are a real treat.
I am from Sardinia, great work. Thanks!!!