Prenuragic sculpture

Bonorva, Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga: Photo by Franco Stefano Ruiu, from Sardegna Digital Library

The first attestations in Sardinia of artistic products date back chronologically to the Lower Neolithic, when the first signs of decoration appear on the island: these are the “cardinal” decorations, obtained with the use of a shell called Cardium. We find them on the surfaces of the vascular forms related to this period and to the culture called precisely “Cardial”.
Starting from this chronological moment, the presence of the decoration of the surfaces of ceramic vases will represent a constant of the various prehistoric “cultures” that will follow one another on Sardinian soil, even if each culture will be characterized by peculiar decorative patterns, decoration techniques and extension of decorated surfaces.
The first manifestations of “figurative art” are human faces or animal protomes made on the handles or surfaces of vases or even on bone artifacts. This is the case of a bone spatula (Sa Ucca de su Tintirriolu, Mara) decorated, on the top of the handle, with a human face. Even more explicitly “artistic” then appear the Neolithic and Eneolithic “mother goddess” figurines, that is, small figurines depicting female figures represented, depending on the chronological and cultural phase, in different styles.
Finally, we highlight the eneolithic monoliths called “statue-menhir”, classified as “male” (with dagger) or “female” (with udder).

Update

10/4/2026 - 12:30