EVOLUZIONE DEL PAESAGGIO SARDO E INFLUENZA DELL’ORDINE CISTERCENSE NELLA SUA STRUTTURAZIONE E GERARCHIZZAZIONE CULTURALE. ANALISI, RAPPRESENTAZIONE E PROSPETTIVE DI VALORIZZAZIONE NELL’ESEMPIO DI SANTA MARIA DI CORTE DI SINDIA (SARDEGNA CENTRO-OCCIDENTALE)

The research aimed to deepen the knowledge of the settlement and enhancement dynamics of the territory of Sindia (NU) taking into account the importance of the Abbey of Santa Maria di Corte, starting from the first decades of the 12th century. Functional organization models were hypothesized based on the hierarchical configuration of the territory of the Cistercian abbeys which, following the Rule of Saint Benedict, led to the assumption of the presence of some agricultural companies (granges) directly connected to Santa Maria di Corte: a system that recalls the spatial modeling of economic geography and in particular Christallerian studies. The work was carried out by developing a specific methodology referable to the heuristic and exegetic procedures specific to HGIS. An analysis path based on bibliographic and documentary research, implemented by the study of the general context verified on the traces present in historical documents and in the field. Investigations preceded by an examination of the cartography considered to be of a certain interest – from the pre-geodetic, first-cadastral production up to the IGM and CTR production – then deepened and verified through UAS on those sites identified through traditional remote sensing images (orthophotos and Google Earth/Maps) as possible locations of the granges. Another aspect of the research that proved to be fundamental is related to toponymy, where, from the census, the linguistic classification and the verification of the diachronic variation of the toponyms present in the territory of Sindia it was possible to grasp its characterization in a cultural religious sense. It was therefore verified that what was carried out by the Cistercians in Sindia was an impressive and innovative activity capable of shaping the landscape in a consistent manner and whose action still remains well impressed on the territory giving it that iconic character of strongly identifying sacredness that defines it in a univocal manner.