- chapter 10: The Western Mediterranean before the Etruscans –
picks), prestige objects (tripod-stands), bronze fi gurines and other items, strikingly
similar to the Cypriote ones dated LC II/LC III (Italian LBA 1 and 2), frequently, if not
always, associated (Lo Schiavo 1983; Lo Schiavo, Macnamara, Vagnetti 1985; Ferrarese
Ceruti et al. 1987) (Fig. 10.8).
Even more impressive is the Cypriot infl uence in the fi eld of metallurgical process,
concerning the melting and casting in stone moulds of a wide range of instruments: axes
of different shapes, chisels, drift punches and some personal items such as pins, weapons
such as swords, daggers, stilettos, and an incredibly rich lost-wax technique manufacture
of fi gurines of humans, animals, monuments, tools, weapons, containers, in some cases
as big as statues (38 cm in the Great Warrior of the Pigorini Museum) (Fig. 10.9) and as
small as pendants, amulets and buttons. Both techniques are applied to the production
and ornamentation of bronze containers (jars, cauldrons and jugs).
The Nuragic metalworkers came to master the technique of production in moulds
and the lost-wax process, and applied them to the local reproduction of the original
Cypriot models, reaching, in their turn, a high level of mastery and originality. Since
the presence of peculiar Nuragic pottery, dated RBA/FBA 1, had been established along
the route of southern Sicily, southern Crete and southern Cyprus – openly following
a route whose missing steps are expected to appear – there is nearly no doubt that we
are not dealing with sporadic events or with the transmission of a few objects by single
wandering travelers. It is rather a deeply-rooted network along precise sea routes: it has
been suggested (Lo Schiavo 2001) that at least some metalworkers actually came and
123456789Figure 10.8 Evidence of close contacts between Cyprus and Sardinia in the Late Bronze Age: 1. and- Pithos and “wishbone” handle from nuraghe Antigori, Sarroch (Cagliari); 2. and 6. Bronze shovel and
tripod-stand from a private collection, Oristano; 3. Fire tongs from Badde Ulumu, Sassari; - Sledgehammer from Nuchis, Sassari; 5. Raising hammer from Perfugas (Sassari); 7. Bronze mirror
from Pirosu-Su Benatzu cave, Santadi (Cagliari); 9. Double axe from Ozieri (Sassari).