THE TOWN’S MUSEUM SYSTEM
The sites
Carbonia Museum System includes the Monte Sirai Archaeological Park, the “Villa Sulcis” Archaeological Museum, the PAS Palaeoambienti Sulcitani “E.A.Martel” Museum of Paleontology and the Cannas Urban Park.
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The Parco Archeologico di Monte Sirai is 3 km north of Carbonia and can be easily reached by car along a paved road that leads to the highest point of the plateau. It is an archaeological area that consists of at least 40 sites dating back to the period from the Neolithic to the end of the Punic wars. The settlement includes three major sectors: the inhabited area, the necropolises and the tophet. There are also other sites around the plateau – some of which of major interest – such as the Nuraghe Sirai, partially connected to each other by short stretches of the ancient Via Sulcitana.
Most of the finds from the site excavations are exhibited at “Villa Sulcis” Archaeological Museum in Carbonia.
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“Villa Sulcis” Archaeological Museum was opened to public in 1988, when it was housed in the villa owned by the director of the Società delle Miniere. It was founded mainly thanks to the donation of two private collections. Moved to its current location in 2008, it displays archaeological finds from several sites in the area: the Su Carroppu rock-shelter, the Domus de Janas necropolis of Monte Crobu and Cannas di Sotto and Locci Santus, the Monte Sirai – Nuraghe Sirai archaeological area.
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the Museo PAS Paleoambienti Sulcitani “E. A. Martel”, is the Museum of Geology and Paleontology of the Sulcis-Iglesiente region. It is housed in the former workshops of Serbariu coal mine. Founded in 1972 by the “E. A. Martel” Speleological Research Group from Carbonia, it became a Civic Museum in 1996.
The Museum was founded to share scientific knowledge on bioevents, geoevents and ancient environments through the study of the rocks found in South West Sardinia, with a focus on fossils.
The building is also home to the “E.A. Martel” Speleological Research Group and houses the “Ottavio Corona” Library.
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Cannas di Sotto Urban Park consists of a necropolis which includes 26 small caves or Domus de Janas built on a travertine hill in the Neolithic period (Late Neolithic from 3700 BC). Although the area is still being excavated, some finds are currently exhibited at Villa Sulcis Museum. On the top of the hill there is the ancient Medau “Sa Grutta”, which was presumably built in the early 1800s, over the Necropolis. It was recently restored as part of the extensive Rio Cannas reclamation project.
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Museum System website: Sistema Museale Carbonia
⇒ Museo del Carbone, Grande Miniera di Serbariu
Sardinia mines
