Il Primo 'colonialismo' in Sardegna

This research aims to discuss some problems and to suggest some reflections about the earliest Phoenician settlement on Sardinia, especially focusing on the 8th and 7th century BC. Through a methodological reflection on colonialism and a re-examination of the archaeological evidence of the Phoenician presence on the island, taking into account funerary, ritual (tofet) and settlement contexts, the present study proposes an alternative interpretation to the traditional and conventional view that sees the Phoenician presence from the mid-8th century BC in ‘colonial’ terms. Analysis of the archaeological evidence from sites conventionally assumed as Phoenician colonial establishments calls into question both the chronology and the relationships between the different ethnic groups involved in the presumed colonial process. It is suggested that the island of Sardinia cannot be regarded as a monolithic and uniform background to the arrival of eastern sailors, and that specific regions such as the coastal area aroundSulkymust be examined on a strong contextual basis.