The 2014 excavation campaign

On 5 May 2014, archaeological investigations at Mont’e Prama resumed after more than 30 years, led by a team of experts from the Cagliari Superintendency (Alessandro Usai and Emerenziana Usai) and the University of Sassari (Raimondo Zucca, Paolo Bernardini and Pier Giorgio Spanu).

Geophysical investigations with georadar were carried out over an area of approximately 80,000 m2. The subsoil was examined by Professor Gaetano Ranieri from 16 different angles to observe the anomalies of the terrain.
On the basis of the main geophysical results and analyses of aerial and satellite photos, trial excavations were carried out in three squares in the easternmost portion of the area, without however finding any elements confirming the anomalies recorded by the instruments.

Therefore, the focus of the excavations once again turned to the necropolis, to the south of the portions already investigated by Bedini and Tronchetti in the 1970s.
By the side of a new stretch of the funerary road, eight tombs covered with square slabs were unearthed and, further to the east, a further eight tombs of the simple pit type, set in three irregular rows and covered by a heap of stones, destined for the single burial of individuals in a crouched position. Judging from the pottery dating back to at least the 10th century BC, they were the earliest tombs at the site.

The archaeological area covered by the 2014 excavations to the south of the portions investigated by Bedini and Tronchetti
The finding of two statues of boxers during Ranieri’s excavation in 2014.
Close-up view of the head of one of the boxer statues found by Ranieri’s excavation in 2014.
Close-up view of one of the boxer statues found by Ranieri’s excavation in 2014.

The most surprising finding of the 2014 excavations was the recovery of two statues of boxers, adding a new iconography to the Mont’e Prama sculptures. Their iconography is similar to that of the famous nuragic bronze of Cavalupo di Vulci of the 9th century BC.