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Although it is accepted that Phoenician colonization occurred on Sardinia by the 9th century B.C., it is possible that contact between Sardinia‟s indigenous population and the Levantine region occurred in the Late Bronze Age (LBA). Eastern LBA goods found on the island are copper oxhide ingots and Aegean pottery. Previously, it has been suggested that Mycenaeans were responsible for bringing the eastern goods to Sardinia, but the presence of Aegean pottery shards does not confirm the presence of Mycenaean tradesmen. Also, scholars of LBA trade have explained the paucity of evidence for a Mycenaean merchant fleet. Interpretations of two LBA shipwrecks, Cape Gelidonya and Uluburun, indicate that eastern Mediterranean merchants of Cypriot or Syro-Canaanite origin, transported large quantities of oxhide ingots from the Levant towards the west. It remains possible that similar itinerant merchants conducted ventures bringing eastern goods to Sardinia while exploring the western Mediterranean. Trade in eastern goods may have stimulated the advancement that occurred in Nuragic culture in the LBA, resulting in the emergence of an elite social stratum in the Nuragic society. Archaeological evidence, such as elitist burials and increasingly complex architecture, supports the idea of cultural change due to internal competition. This „peer-polity‟ effect may have been incited because of limited accessibility to the exotic eastern goods and the „ownership‟ to the rights of this exchange.

Although it is accepted that Phoenician colonization occurred on Sardinia by the 9th century B.C., it is possible that contact between Sardinia‟s indigenous population and the Levantine region occurred in the Late Bronze Age (LBA). Eastern LBA goods found on the island are copper oxhide ingots and Aegean pottery. Previously, it has been suggested that Mycenaeans were responsible for bringing the eastern goods to Sardinia, but the presence of Aegean pottery shards does not confirm the presence of Mycenaean tradesmen. Also, scholars of LBA trade have explained the paucity of evidence for a Mycenaean merchant fleet. Interpretations of two LBA shipwrecks, Cape Gelidonya and Uluburun, indicate that eastern Mediterranean merchants of Cypriot or Syro-Canaanite origin, transported large quantities of oxhide ingots from the Levant towards the west. It remains possible that similar itinerant merchants conducted ventures bringing eastern goods to Sardinia while exploring the western Mediterranean. Trade in eastern goods may have stimulated the advancement that occurred in Nuragic culture in the LBA, resulting in the emergence of an elite social stratum in the Nuragic society. Archaeological evidence, such as elitist burials and increasingly complex architecture, supports the idea of cultural change due to internal competition. This „peer-polity‟ effect may have been incited because of limited accessibility to the exotic eastern goods and the „ownership‟ to the rights of this exchange.

The Sardinian Bronze Age (Nuragic period) and the factors which created and maintained an island-wide identity as seen through the presence of its distinctive nuraghi have received considerable attention; however the amount of research directly related to the stone tools of the era has been relatively limited despite the wealth of knowledge it is capable of yielding. This thesis hopes to contribute to Sardinian archaeology through the study of ancient technology, specifically obsidian lithic technology, by combining typological information with source data gleaned from the use of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). These data are integrated with statistical analyses breaking down the spatial distribution of nuraghi across the island through the use of distance-based methods, including k-means and kernel density analyses, which create a more comprehensive understanding of the island-wide political and social structure. This research will test the hypothesis that changes in the acquisition of obsidian raw materials were coupled with corresponding changes in how the obsidian was used. The results provide precedence for future work in Sardinia and create a model for integrating two types of analyses, sourcing and typological. By combining these results, it is possible to investigate how obsidian influenced the ancient economy as well as assess its cultural significance for people of the past.

Criteria for identifying prehistoric water-temples among other archaeological remains in Sardinia have not been explicitly discussed so far, making it difficult to investigate this remarkable body of evidence as a whole. This study therefore aims at elaborating a method for identifying water-temples among other fonts and wells in Sardinia, and applying it to produce a preliminary inventory. A theoretical discussion of definable criteria for assessing possible cult status in this context precedes an evaluation of the investigable wells and fonts reported in the island. Buildings found to lack cult correlates are noted in an Appendix, while buildings presenting them are inventoried in a Catalogue. A discussion of the results considering spatial, temporal and cultural aspects follows, leading to a new perspective regarding the genesis of the Sardinian water-temples. / Criteri per l'identificazione di templi ad acqua preistorici fra altri residui archeologici in Sardegna non sono stati esplicitamente discussi fin'ora, rendendo difficile l'indagine di questo straordinario insieme di evidenze come tale. Questo studio vuole perciò elaborare un metodo per identificare templi ad acqua fra altri pozzi e fonti in Sardegna, e applicarlo per produrre un inventario preliminare. Un discorso teorico di criteri definibili per valutare l'eventuale status cultuale nel contesto precede una valutazione degli indagabili pozzi e fonti segnalati nell'isola. Edifici trovati mancanti di correlati di culto sono notati in un Appendice, mentre edifici che li presentano sono inventoriati in un Catalogo. Segue una discussione dei risultati, considerando aspetti spaziali, temporali e culturali, portando ad una nuova proposa in riguardo alla genesi dei templi ad acqua sardi. / Kriterier för att identifiera förhistoriska vattentempel bland andra arkeologiska lämningar på Sardinien har hittills inte diskuterats uttryckligen, vilket gjort det svårt att undersöka denna anmärkningsvärda fyndkategori som helhet. Denna studie syftar därför till att utarbeta en metod för att identifiera vattentempel bland andra funter och brunnar på Sardinien, och tillämpa den för att göra en preliminär inventering. En teoretisk diskussion av definierbara kriterier för att bedöma eventuell kultstatus i sammanhanget föregår en utvärdering av de studerbara brunnar och källor som har rapporterats på ön. Byggnader som befunnits sakna kultkorrelat noteras i ett Appendix, medan byggnader som uppvisar dem inventeras i en Katalog. En diskussion av resultaten med rumsliga, tidsliga och kulturella aspekter i åtanke följer, och leder till ett nytt perspektiv gällande te sardiska vattentemplens tillkomst.