Elucidating northern Sardinia’s fortified heritage through traditional masonry and historical materials

Abstract

In medieval Sardinia an important system of around a hundred fortifications was built for varying defensive purposes. This paper, part of an ongoing research focused on the study of this system, takes an interdisciplinary approach to the investigation of traditional masonry techniques and historical materials used between the 12th and 15th centuries in Northern Sardinia. In particular, 3 of 40 defensive structures distributed on this territory, have been selected as representative of a specific historical and cultural context: the Castles of Pedres and Della Fava, and Re Baldo Palace. Archaeological and material surveys were conducted in order to elucidate the formal, spatial, dimensional, technological, and constructional values of these sites as well as to reconstruct the architectural evolution that marked the history, not only of these fortifications, but also that of the surrounding territory, with the aim to recognise this heritage, which was ignored for a long time, as heritage to be safeguarded and enhanced.

Keywords

• Middle Ages
• northern Sardinia
• defensive architecture
• archaeology of architecture
• geo- materials
• masonry