Analisi spaziali e territoriali attorno ad un santuario di età nuragica: il caso di Monte S. Antonio di Siligo

The main objective of this research is to define the environmental and settlement context of the important federal sanctuary of S.Antonio mount in Siligo (SS).The archaeological investigation has been focused on the basalt plateau of Pelao mount, geomorphological well-defined entity, on which rises up the place of worship.The archaeological record founded through systematic reconnaissance surveys, assisted by the results of excavations in S. Vincenzo Ferrer nuragic village, has permitted to reconstruct a settlement framework very complicated and unknown until now.The prehistoric population, proved by the presence of nuraghi and wide villages is, certainly, the prelude to the construction of the sanctuary of S. Antonio mount that cannot be considered in the same way as a cathedral in the desert.The population’s dispersion is implied by reasons where the visual domain and, in particular, the natural routes, play a basic role.Analyzing the geographic influences, the plateau is configured as a pastoral land and likely destination and crossroad of local transhumances.Therefore a plateau that constituted a natural barrier but, at the same time, represented a connection place, a meeting point for people from different territories.