Arzachena, La Prisgiona Nuragic Complex

The archaeological area is located on a granite relief in Capichera, in a dominant position on the plain of Arzachena, in coastal Gallura.
The nuragic complex includes a nuraghe and a village of huts. In NO there is the relevant burial area represented by the tomb of giants by Coddu Vecchiu.
The nuraghe is complex, consisting of a main tower and two side towers included in a triangular bastion that is accessed through a curvilinear corridor.
The keep (diameter 6.50 m; max. remaining height m 3.90), originally equipped with a collapsed upper floor, is built at the base with freshly sketched blocks arranged in irregular rows, while the upper wall structures have worked ashlars arranged on horizontal courses.
The entrance to the tower is through an S-shaped door that leads to a trumped and flattened corridor (width 1.50 m) in the back.
This corridor, now cluttered with a collapse, has a niche on its side and on the left the opening of the staircase with an angular section (height m 3) that led to the upper floor.
The room on the ground floor, now standing out, has a circular plan (diameter 3.50 m; height 5.60 m) and walls built with rough blocks arranged in regular rows with the aid of raised wedges.
The room has three niches arranged in a cross shape: a large and reserved one on the left wall, a smaller one on the right with benches and a fairly deep one in the back wall.
The nuraghe is protected by a large curvilinear wall curtain (antemural) made of large unprocessed blocks arranged in irregular rows, which incorporates the Meeting Hut and delimits a large courtyard where there is a well for water supply.
The village develops outside the antemural. The excavations carried out have brought to light about twenty rooms. Circular huts and trapezoidal rooms are clustered in blocks crossed by paved paths. A block consisting of five rooms was intended for artisanal manufacturing activities such as the repair of ceramic vessels and the production of bread.
The complex, built in different phases, is located in a chronological arc that goes from 1400 BC to 790 BC.

History of excavations
The nuraghe was excavated by Ercole Contu in 1959. It was the subject of subsequent excavation and restoration work, which lasted until 2014, by Angela Antona.

Bibliography
M.L. Ferrarese Ceruti, "Nota preliminare alla I e II campagna di scavo nel Nuraghe Albucciu (Arzachena-Sassari)", in Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche, XVII, fasc. 1-4, 1962, p. 162;
E. Contu, "Considerazioni su un saggio di scavo al nuraghe «La Prisciona» di Arzachena", in Studi Sardi, XIX, 1966, pp. 149-259 figg. 1-4;
E. Melis, Carta dei nuraghi della Sardegna: monumenti preistorici nel comune di Mamoiada, Spoleto, Arti grafiche Panetto & Petrelli, p. 196;
F. Lo Schiavo, "Bronzi di età nuragica dalla Gallura", in Archeologia del territorio, territorio dell'archeologia: un sistema informativo territoriale orientato sull'archeologia della regione ambientale Gallura, a cura di R. Caprara-A. Luciano-G. Maciocco, Sassari, Carlo Delfino, 1996, pp. 65-96;
A. Antona, Nota preliminare sui contesti stratigrafici della Gallura nuragica. L'esempio di La Prisgiona di Arzachena, in Atti della XLIV Riunione scientifica dell'Istituto italiano di Preistoria e Protostoria, 23-28 novembre 2009.

How to get there
The archaeological site of La Prisgiona is located in Capichera, about 6 kilometers from the town of Arzachena. It can be reached by taking the provincial road to Luogosanto (SP14). A short distance away (about 1 km) is the tomb of the giants of Coddu 'Ecchju (and the related ticket office).

Tag

Structure category: archaeological area or park

Content type: Archaeological complex
Archaeology

Usability: Open

Province: Sassari

Common: Arzachena

Macro Territorial Area: Northern Sardinia

POSTAL CODE: 07021

Address: SS 427 - località Capichera

Telephone: +39 0789 82106 +39 0789 83401 +39 393 8975528

E-mail: archeologia@gesecoarzachena.it

Website: www.gesecoarzachena.it

Information on tickets and access: The schedules may change: we recommend that you always consult the website of the managing body. For always updated information on tickets, given the variety of visit combinations and cumulative offers, please refer to the dedicated web-ticket page on the manager's website.

Access mode: For a fee

Services information: Guided tours are included in the ticket price, upon reservation, or by asking the ticket office for departure times. Audio guides are also available.

Other services: WI-FI

Update

10/12/2024 - 14:00

Services

Bookshop