Last year in September, I set out to explore the ancient colonies of the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, which have been unearthed along the coast of Sardinia.At that time, I also visited many Nuraghi sites—the ruins of the ancient inhabitants of Sardinia, who lived 4,000 years ago in a honeycomb of structures that surrounded a central tower.
These Nuraghi dwellers have been nicknamed the “People of Bronze” after the numerous bronze mini statuettes, which have been discovered throughout the island.
During my travels, I picked up a fascinating book entitled the People of Bronze (il Popolo di bronzo in Italian) by Angela Demontis, who describes to minute detail the styles and fashion of the Nuraghic men.
As a fashion designer with an extensive knowledge of ancient history, Angela has succeeded in deciphering Nuraghic menswear, which she sketches throughout her book:Nuraghic Fashion: Part 1
Nuraghic Fashion: Part 2
Nuraghic Fashion Part 3
Now for the next two months, the public will have the opportunity to see the bronze statutes in relation to the life-size mannequins, which have been reconstructed in the typical Nuraghic dress.
The exhibition will be held at the Archaeological Museum of Cagliari from April 15-June 15.
In Angela’s own words, “the People of Bronze have finally come back to life!”
Photos Copyright Provincia di Cagliari.
