Cagliari, Fullonica in Via XX Settembre

Under the INPS building, on the side of Via XX Settembre, there is access to an internal courtyard, from which it is possible, after agreement with the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage for the provinces of Cagliari and Oristano, to visit an underground room specifically created to keep what remains of the ancient Fullonica.
In 1956, during the work to expand the headquarters of the INPS, between Viale Regina Margherita and Via XX Settembre, the remains of a Roman-Republican settlement came to light. It was not possible to deepen the archaeological investigation, which lacks stratigraphy; therefore, it is only possible to put forward interpretative hypotheses.
The excavation reports of the time also speak of the remains of a building, in which a well, a tank flanked by two amphorae and a series of tanks of different sizes were identified, which suggested the idea that it was a “fullonica”, that is, an ancient plant for processing fabrics.
The floor consisted of a stone pavement that, in some areas, became of cocciopesto with encrustations of colored pieces of marble; in the perimeter band around the well, it became instead a mosaic with marine elements (crocodiles, anchors and dolphins) made with black tiles on a white background. The mosaic continued between the well and a pallet overlooking it, and contained the inscription “M. Ploti Silisonis F. Rufus” (Rufus, son of Marco Plotio Silisone). Rufus is the probable owner of the artisanal plant, dated to the first century BC.
It is unknown how long it remained in operation. After a phase of abandonment, witnessed by the accumulation of a thick layer of earth, wall structures built with square blocks coming, as was assumed, from a nearby Punic building were planted above the building, in the late Roman or Byzantine phase. Two of the blocks were decorated: one belonged to a Doric frieze framed with denticles, the other bore a funerary inscription. Only the well pertaining to the late republican phase was not hidden by the new structures, but was, on the contrary, reused with the same function. In a graphic survey from the time of the excavations, you can see the base of a quadrangular tower, made with reused lithic blocks: some scholars have hypothesized that it could be connected to a fortified defensive structure.

History of excavations
The excavations were conducted in 1956 under the direction of the then Superintendent of Antiquities of Sardinia, Gennaro Pesce.

Bibliography
S. Angiolillo, Ancient mosaics in Italy. Sardinia, Rome, 1981, p. 85;
D. Mureddu, The archaeological complex of Fullonica, Cagliari, 2000, pp. 1-4;
A. M. Colavitti, Cagliari, series “Ancient Cities in Italy”, 6, Rome, 2003, pp. 63-64; A. M. Colavitti - C. Tronchetti, Archaeological Guide to Cagliari. Sassari, C. Delfino, 2003 (Archaeological Sardinia. Guides and itineraries; 31).