Sardegna: History Flashcards
What is language of Sardegna?
Sardo
It is very close to Latin and is officially recognized by the Italian government.
There are two variations of Sardo that are quite distinct and recognized as sub-languages.
Who inhabited Sardegna as early as 1800BC?
The native Nuragic people from whom modernday Sardinians have descended.
How long has the vine been grown in Sardegna?
Archeological findings have revealed the presence of vine and wine in this region since 1500BC, aligning it with the Nuragic civilization.
What are Nuraghi?
A nuraghe (nuraghi is plural) is an ancient stone building consisting of a conical trunk. They are unique among megaliths and representative of the Nuragic civilization.
There are about 7,000 of these structures spread across Sardegna. The have become an intrinsic part of the landscape and a symbol of Sardinian culture.
Who were the first outsiders to reach Sardegna between the 9th and 8th centuries BC?
The Phoenicians; they established outposts and small colonies on the coast.
The Phoenicians and the Nuragic people managed to coexist and even integrate.
The Phoenicians presence prompted a higher degree of viticultureal development on the island thanks to their more advanced winegrowing skills.
Who ended the peace in Sardegna around the 6th century BC?
The Carthaginians took the island by force. They forced the island to focus on cereals rather than vines.
Viticulture suffered a major setback.
Who conquered Sardegna in the 3rd century BC?
The Romans
Rome built new cities, ports and roads and maintained the Carthaginian focus on cereals. Sardegna and Sicilia both became the graneries of Rome.
The Nuragic tribes continued to resist the new invaders.
What happened in Sardegna after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD?
Sardegna survived a succession of invasions and occupations.
In the 13th century, what did the Pope do in an attempt to resolve political unrest in regards to Sardegna?
He unilaterally proclaimed the island as the Kingdom of Sardegna and placed it under the jurisdiction of the Spanish Kingdom of Aragon.
Sardegna remained firmly under Aragonese-Spanish rule until the early 18th century.
How is the presence of the Spanish in Sardegna evident in the vineyards and the bottle?
Some of the grape varieties were most likely brought to the island from Spain.
Including:
* Cannonau (Garnacha)
* Carignano
* Bovale
The fortified wine tradition (far more common here than in most of the rest of Italy) links to Aragon. The only two Italian wines produced through biological ageing (like Spain’s jerez/sherry) are produced in Sardegna (Vernaccia di Oristano & Malvasia di Bosa)
Who was the Kingdom of Sardegna handed over to in the 1718?
The Piemontese House of Savoy. This was due to the abrupt political and military changes that took place in Europe in the early 18th century.
How did viticulture fair under the rule of the House of Savoy?
Viticulture benefited from the reforms introduced by the Savoyard government. After a long period of decline, the local wine industry began to rebound.
From the late 18th century to the end of the 19th centuries, both the area under vine and wine production increased considerably.
When did Sardegna become part of the Italian Kingdom?
1861
What happened in Sardegna when phylloxera arrived in the 1880s?
It bottomed out the booming wine industry. Only vineyards with sandier soils were spared and recovery proved long and difficult.
When was Nebbiolo introduced to Sardegna?
In the 18th century during the rule of the House of Savoy.
It is now considered a traditional grape of Gallura.
