Nuragic memories. A deep seated pervasive attitude

The popular attitude towards prehistoric monuments in Sardinia has been to consider them as testimony of a great past, as represented by the names attached to them, e.g. domus de janas (witches’ homes), tombe di giganti (giants’ tombs), Nuraghe sa domu ‘e s’orku (home of the ogre). Actually, this past, with its alleged memories, is coming to be differently inserted into modernity. The insulation of the monuments is becoming heavier: a) because of a different involvement of people in their own landscape, as urbanism became a crucial part of human life; b) because of land management projects, both on the agrarian and development sides; c) because of tourism, and touristic economic expectations by people; d) and what more, because of contrasting attitudes between academic scholars, superintendency archaeologists, amateurs and skilled popularizing writers. While these are general processes in Italy, Europe and beyond, the specificity of insular Sardinia makes it a particularly well-expressed battleground and showcase of the conflicting attitudes presented.