The Well Temple Of Su Tempiesu 0 Comments

Orune, a precious village in the heart of Barbagia, reachable in 1 hour and 45 minutes by car, 110 km far from Gabbiano Azzurro Hotel & Suites, has two unique masterpieces distinguishing it from other Sardinian villages: The Sistine Chapel Of Barbagia in Chiesa Santa Maria della Neve, which we have already written about, and The Well Temple of Su Tempiesu.

Unique in Sardinia for its structure, it was discovered in 1953, during terracing works on private land. It is a very beautiful and well-preserved site, inside a small valley in "Sa Costa 'e sa Binza". Along the route of the two paths leading to the well, cork panels indicate the names of plants and animals that populate the area, which are very interesting for learning about the typical Sardinian flora and fauna.

It is a sacred temple well, intended for the cult of water, from the Recent Bronze Age (1350 -1200 BC). The monument, set in the wildly wonderful and fragrant nature of the Orunian countryside, consists of a vestibule inside which a second small spring is dug, reproducing on a smaller scale the main spring. At the bottom, a staircase of four steps leads to the tholos (false dome) chamber, with a paved floor, which collects water from the very spring.

The roofing is extraordinary: a double-pitched roof with double sculpted eaves, surmounted by an acute triangular gable. During periods of flood the water overspills and flows through a canal into the second small spring.

Its peculiarity is also given by the materials used for the construction. Volcanic basalt stones skilfully squared, worked with the right inclination where necessary, which are not typical of the area. The volcanic rock used was probably taken from rather distant locations, perhaps from the Dorgali area. This detail makes us reflect: what means could the Nuragic people have, which they did use, to transport those heavy stones? A truly complex job which is therefore making the construction itself more important. Furthermore, the precision and extreme care of the polished stones used in the construction are extraordinary. Even today, after more than 3000 years, spring works regularly.

Inside the vestibule, small bronzes depicting warriors and devotees were found, with other votive objects also made of bronze such as pins, rings, bracelets, pendants and daggers, which today are preserved in the National Archaeological Museum of Nuoro. Su Tempiesu is the only original testimony that remains of an "elevated" structure covered by a sacred well.

“We know nothing about a well, but one day someone, among the roots and stones, must have dug the ground, looked for water, prayed to find a spring.” (Fabrizio Caramagna)

Written by DanielaToti