Archeologia e storia delle trasformazioni del castello aragonese di Sassari

Abstract

[EN] During works for the arrangement of the underground in Sassari’s historical center (Piazza Castello), remains of the structures related to the “a la moderna” fortification of the Aragonese castles have been discovered. The defensive systems included a fosse, a “barbican” with a covered alley and an embrasured path, which suffered a progressive filling from the second half of the 17th century AD. An hypogeum carved into limestone and characterized by bas reliefs depicting crucifixes, processions and several religious symbols, belonging to the Inquisition (16th century AD), was used as a prison until the area started to fill up, in the first half of the 17th century AD. The archaeological excavation of both the fosse and the prison, allowed to identify and document a previously unknown polychrome majolica produced in Sassari.