Impronte dal passato. Intrecci e cesteria nella Sardegna protostorica alla luce del ritrovamento di Sa Mandra Manna di Tula

Thanks to the deep connection with nature, man has, since the earliest times, been able to manipulate and modify raw materials in order to produce artefacts. The study of plant fibres, used in the production of woven craft objects, is particularly important for understanding and reconstructing the process of artefact making, the social dynamics involved and the natural resources of the palaeo-environment. The art of weaving necessarily implies knowledge of the physical properties of the plants used (flexibility, resistance, elasticity), the techniques adopted to process the raw material and the technology employed to produce the finished object, also in relation to its specific functionality. Being made of highly perishable materials, the archaeological discovery of the remains of woven artefacts is a rare event. Referring in particular to the bronze age in Sardinia, the elements at our disposal are essentially represented by indirect evidence: imprints of plants on the bottom of ceramic vessels, especially pots, and representations of woven objects in bronze artefacts. The aim of this preliminary study - focused on the site of Sa Mandra Manna (Tula) - is to understand the work phases, from the extraction of the plant to the production of the artefact, by adopting an experimental and ethnographic approach. Ethnography is considered an invaluable tool for understanding the formal characteristics and production methods of artefacts, allowing us to address reflections on the various social, economic and cultural aspects connected to these craft productions.