Elucidating northern Sardinia’s fortified heritage through traditional masonry and historical materials
From Firenze University Press Journal: Restauro Archeologico
Maria Serena Pirisino, DICAAR — Department of Civil-Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari
The study, here proposed, focuses on making a contribution to tracing the history of local architecture through the knowledge of traditional masonry techniques and historical materials used in fortifications built between the 12th and 15th centuries in northern Sardinia, in order to enhance understanding of the heritage of medieval fortifications and traditional architecture, and, therefore, to allow a compatible and sustainable project for its conservation and enhancement. As is well known, fortifications and great cathedrals were key elements of the medieval landscape and are a fundamental component of European identity (Kaufmann and Kaufmann, 2004, pp.13–15; Rao, 2015). Understanding the role and significance of medieval fortifications and their evolution over the centuries elucidates the development of the society and settlement, the dynamics of the diffusion of technical culture, and, consequently, the function of specific architectural and masonry techniques.
The construction, evolution, and function of defensive structures diversified during the medieval period, and region to region, there are definite links to the evolution of society and technology, which triggered the process of settlement and the transformation of the social landscape (Kaufmann and Kaufmann, 2004; Rao, 2015; Rocchi, 2010). Additionally, Sardinia’s fortification system made a similarly significant contribution. From the 12th century, defensive structures were built by local authorities for the control of territory and consolidation of their power. However, from the 15th century, several structures lost their defensive function and were gradually destroyed or neglected as new fortifications were built with different functions and in other locations.Sardinia’s contemporary heritage of medieval fortifications consists of numerous structures, including castles, fortified cities and villages, towers, and palaces, all characterised by varying architectural, formal, and material features depending on their location, age, and construction phases. The considerable variety of this heritage is linked to complex historical events and cultural influences as well as a heterogeneity of locations and local materials. These circumstances make it necessary to territorially circumscribe the research to two areas: northern (Pirisino, 2017a; Pirisino, 2017b) and southern Sardinia (Pintus, 2017a; Pintus, 2017b). This study focuses on the analysis of 3 fortifications out of the 40 distributed throughout the northern Sardinia: the castles of Pedres and Della Fava, and Re Baldo Palace.
The research started with a systematic identification of fortifications through biblio-graphic, archival, cartographic, iconographic sources, and surveys in situ. The 3 structures selected are representative of a specific geographical and historical context and their selection was influenced by the degree of decay and accessibility. The historical and architectural profiles have been analysed through the chronotypological features of their mineralogical-petrographical aspects. The aim of the in-depth examination was to gain an extensive architectural knowledge of the structures in order to understand their formal, spatial, dimensional, technological, and constructional values as well as to reconstruct the construction phases that marked their history.The examination achieved two goals: the chronological relationship between these historical buildings was defined; and the compositional aspects of historical materials were characterised, yielding knowledge of the traditional masonry techniques used in northern Sardinia at that time, as a guide for an appropriate conservation design.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.13128/rar-10715
Read Full Text: https://oaj.fupress.net/index.php/ra/article/view/10715
