Sardinia, Summer 2018
After Puglia and Basilicata in 2017, we went to Sardinia during the Summer of 2018. Even though we spent three weeks there, we had family with us most of the time, therefore photographic activity was sometimes a bit curbed —to the point that I decided to return on my own in March–April 2019, after my retirement, to concentrate on photography (those pictures will be uploaded later).
This is one of the most touching and old churches in all of Sardinia: the Byzantine, pre-Romanesque church known today as the Oratory of Souls, and formerly dedicated to San Niccolo Vescovo (“bishop”), in the village of Massama.
It was built mostly during the so–called ark Ages, in the 700s. In France, we would call it Merovingian, and it is very moving for any Mediævalist to find themselves beholding such a wonder that traveled through millennia to reach us in such a splendid condition, with minimal add-ons and restorations. One can clearly see the alternating layers and brick and stone, as well as some occurrences of opus spicatum (fishbone apparel), which are two techniques coming directly from the Romans and are signs of very old age in any building.
I will upload more photos of the Oratory tomorrow.
Sardinia, Summer 2018
After Puglia and Basilicata in 2017, we went to Sardinia during the Summer of 2018. Even though we spent three weeks there, we had family with us most of the time, therefore photographic activity was sometimes a bit curbed —to the point that I decided to return on my own in March–April 2019, after my retirement, to concentrate on photography (those pictures will be uploaded later).
This is one of the most touching and old churches in all of Sardinia: the Byzantine, pre-Romanesque church known today as the Oratory of Souls, and formerly dedicated to San Niccolo Vescovo (“bishop”), in the village of Massama.
It was built mostly during the so–called ark Ages, in the 700s. In France, we would call it Merovingian, and it is very moving for any Mediævalist to find themselves beholding such a wonder that traveled through millennia to reach us in such a splendid condition, with minimal add-ons and restorations. One can clearly see the alternating layers and brick and stone, as well as some occurrences of opus spicatum (fishbone apparel), which are two techniques coming directly from the Romans and are signs of very old age in any building.
I will upload more photos of the Oratory tomorrow.