Civico Museo Archeologico Ittireddu

Hall 6: Roman Age and Middle Ages

Hall 6 is dedicated to the Roman and Medieval Ages. This hall contains materials collected from the surface mainly coming from the multi-layered sites of Monte Zuighe and Lavrudu. The materials illustrate aspects related to the economy of that time in the territory of Ittireddu, suggesting its central position to the Roman road system mainly attested to by Pont'Ezzu on the Riu Mannu in Mores, which was still in use during the Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages.

Among the Roman ceramic finds, small fragments collected from the surface in various locations around the territory, mostly made of African red slip, are related to the  objects in use from the I to the V century AD. It is worth mentioning two tiles with the stamp of the Atte workshop, at the request of Nero who, as is known, had important possessions in the countryside of Olbia. There are also loom weights. The fragments of two jars with ear-shaped handles set horizontally can be dated back to the Late-Roman era (IV-V century AD). Finally, two fragments of baking dishes with engraved circlets and herringbone motifs  found in Olensas.

Concerning the Middle Ages, a panel represents the Curatoria of Meilogu and the Villa of Ithiri Fustialvu of which two buildings of worship characterised by a Byzantine structure, the Churches of Sant’Elena (St. Helen) and Santa Croce (the Holy Cross), are presented here, a fact of considerable importance.

Among the medieval findings, it is worth mentioning a fragmented bronze finger ring (6^th and 7^th centuries) characterised by a short bezel decorated with a five-pointed star carved in a circle, with a stamped central circlet, coming from the Zuighe Mountain where we have found also two fragmented jars, with engraved decoration, of the Early Middle Ages. Also, two fragments of a trachytic perforated transenna found in Ledrazos, ascribable to an iconostasis, which can be dated back to the early Middle Ages, a "pilgrim jug" and a few plain tiles coming from the original roofing of the Church of Santa Croce.