Li Muri

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The multiple site Li Muri near Arzachena in the province of Sassari is one of the most famous of the archaeological sites in Gallura in northern Sardinia . The necropolis of Li Muri is considered to be the last occurrence of the Ozieri culture or an early appearance of the cultures of Abealzu-Filigosa . The peculiarity of the monuments there was initially interpreted as a sign of its own culture, which was even given names such as "Megalithic Circle", "Arzachena" or "Gallura Culture".

Li Muri is located about 5 kilometers (as the crow flies) south of the town of Arzachena, on a side road to the neighboring town of Pirazzolu.

Li Muri consists primarily of the cairn Macciunitta and a small passage grave and four stone boxes . Each of the boxes lies in the center of a multitude of concentric stone rings, which presumably served to stabilize a no longer existing tumulus . Their outer diameters vary between 5.3 and 8.5 m. In the outermost stone circle of each of these structures is a small menhir . There are circular graves (ital. Tombe a circolo) like this one in Sardinia primarily in Pranu Muteddu near Goni (Cagliari) and Li Muri.

The small passage tomb is in a peripheral position in relation to the four boxes. It is surrounded on three sides by the semicircular remnant of a tumulus. Since there is an entrance in the southeast, the hypothesis arose that the crypt was used for multiple burials. However, this would be a considerable difference to the boxes in the city of the dead and suggests different ritual ideas or a chronological difference.

A so-called "holy stone" with a square part, which lies within an area with erected panels, seems to belong to the passage grave. In addition to the menhir, three small boxes of only 0.4 × 0.5 m seem to belong to the cult site. Two of them are located near the tangents of the tomb circle. In the same room were discovered two protoanthropomorphe menhirs which are precursors of the Statue menhir are and in this form in Pranu Mateddu close found.

The artifacts found in the larger stone boxes are not very numerous. The stone artifacts testify to a particularly high level of craftsmanship: a steatite pot with handles in a winding pattern and a ring-like base, very fine flint blades , triangular polished axes made of gemstone and numerous spherical or disc-shaped necklace beads. Among these items, a steatite cup, which has been compared to similar Cretan pieces, deserves special attention. However, there are also certain similarities with vases from the Diana culture. The finds of pottery are limited to tiny fragments of apparently undecorated goods.

The extensive absence of artifacts makes it difficult to fathom the function of the square. It is believed that the small boxes that were found completely empty were used to hold food offerings. The acidity of the granite earth has resulted in the preservation of less skeletal remains. They consist of the fragments of long bones. The presence of pebbles with traces of red ocher led to the idea that the bodies of the dead were painted. However, other uses of ocher cannot be ruled out, especially when one considers the widespread use of this color in Neolithic Sardinia.

See also

literature

  • Enrico Atzeni: Aspetti e sviluppi culturali del neolitico e della prima età dei metalli in Sardegna . In: Ichnussa. La Sardegna dalle origini all'età classica . Scheiwiller, Milan 1981, ( Antica madre 4, ZDB -ID 2464755-X ), pp. 21-51.
  • Alberto Moravetti, Carlo Tozzi et al. (Eds.): Guide archeologiche. Preistoria e Protostoria in Italia . 2: Sardegna . ABACO, Forlí 1995, ISBN 88-86712-01-4 , (Published on the occasion of the 13th International Congress of Prehistoric and Protohistoric Sciences which was held Sept. 8-14, 1996, Forlì, Italy).

Web links

Coordinates: 41 ° 4 ′ 12.5 ″  N , 9 ° 19 ′ 17.4 ″  E