The magic and bewilderment of an ancient place. The well of Santa Cristina turned out to be a rather puzzling kind of place
There is a slightly hidden gem close to one of the busy main roads on Sardinia. Only a small and rather faded sign points to ‘Pozzo di Santa Cristina’. As many other attractions on this island, the signposting does no credit to showcasing the magical place hiding behind a less than significant signpost. If you don’t pay attention driving along on the road you could easily miss it.
The first thing you come to after stepping out of the ticket office/shop/cafe is a cluster of small houses, built to house pilgrims to the little medieval church of Santa Cristina.
The nuraghe – straight from the Bronze Age
Following on along a little path down to the nuraghe (stone building from the Middle Bronze Age,15th century BC).
After nosing around inside and outside the nuraghe and the other ancient buildings set next to it, a path takes you up to the sacred well – and maybe the main reason this area has been a special place for thousands of years.
This path leads you to an open field full of tiny, little white flowers. The flowers seems to have no idea that this is a cold mid-January day as they are brightening up the place with cheerful, little blossoms.
The key-hole entrance
The first part you come upon is a low wall (like a stone fence) set in an elliptical enclosure with a little opening at the end. Inside this enclosure is another low wall, which from a bird’s perspective looks almost like a key hole (see photo)
Stepping inside you stand at the entrance to the well. And this is where things start to look a little strange and out of place. The two stone walls/enclosures around the well entrance LOOK like they are made in ancient times. Which of course they are.
But the entrance to the well itself is a perfect trapezoid shape, where the sleek, sharp-cut stones making up the walls and steps look like they were built recently.
A staircase descends down through this trapezoid opening. There are 24-25 steps taking you down. At the bottom where the water is, the space opens up to a conical shape with a little light opening at the top (at ground level).
First disappointed, then astounded
My first initial, and a tad disappointed thought, standing at the top of the stairs, was: ‘oh no, they have restored the entrance to the well! usj, and to a modern shape totally unfitting to the surroundings!’.
But I soon learnt, NO, this IS the original building, dating back to around the 12th century BC – it was built 3000 years ago!! And this is where this place becomes really mind boggling (indeed mind blowing).
How can a civilisation, who’s seemingly only capable of building uneven shapes with unevenly rounded stones create this? (based on everything else around this well and other sites from the same time). Perfectly straight, rectangularly cut stones, put together with precision in a shape that would (seemingly) require precise optical levelling or similar modern methods.
Astronomical coincident?
Furthermore, the opening at the top of the well (at ground level) is such that sunlight shines upon the water on the equinoxes. Moonlight shines upon the water at lunistice when the moon is reflected on the bottom of the well, illuminating it; this lunar cycle only occurs every 18,6 years. Did the people who built this 3000 years ago know this? Or is it a stoke of sheer, strange astronomical coincidences happening now? Strange indeed.
Outside the well enclosures there are remains of a nuragic settlement. According to archeologists many of these where shop fronts, markets and a larger, circular ‘house’ with seating around the walls – the council. These are again in the same round, rough stones as the traditional buildings from this time
It was indeed a puzzling mix of geometric precision building and rough, ancient masonry.
I was baffled! I left with more questions than when I arrived.
A truly remarkable place, I will be back for sure.
Lots of love,
Bee
Links:
The colourful town of Bosa is only 45minutes away
The village of San Salvatore di Sinis not far from Pozzo di Santa Cristina
Link to a post about the carnival in Paulilatino
https://pozzosantacristina.com/en/timetables/
https://www.sardegnaturismo.it/en/explore/sanctuary-santa-cristina
Some facts:
The well is located on the Paulilatino plateau in the center of Sardinia, next to the SS131 main road (see map).
The Santa Cristina well represents the architectural beauty of the temples dedicated to water on Sardinia. The name Santa Cristina comes from the saint and the little church nearby dating back to the 11th century.
“Muristenes” are the small houses next to the church. These houses still host the pilgrims who flock here in May to celebrate the saint. It is an interesting site as it shows the sacred well and traces of surrounding buildings from the Bronze Age. Among these the meeting house and other rooms, perhaps shops and lodgings for the cult masters.
Phoenicians:
During excavation objects of Phoenician (1500-300BC) origin were found, indicating the long life of this place. The site was also thought to have been a place for astronomical observations. A short distance away you can also visit the Nuraghe and the surrounding village, both dating back to the 15th century BC. Today surrounded by beautiful vegetation and old olive trees. Open all year, but check the website for guided tours