Grotta di San Michele, Ozieri
Facts and practical information
The caves of San Michele are caves of karst origin located south of the town of Ozieri, a few meters from the civil hospital.
They owe their name to the ancient presence of a small place of worship dedicated to Archangel Michael, which was present until the 18th century.
The archaeological importance of the caves was first highlighted by archaeologist Antonio Taramelli at the beginning of the 20th century, when many artifacts of fine workmanship, particularly ceramics, pertaining to the Eneolithic and even older, belonging to the San Ciriaco culture, were identified. The civilization authored by these artifacts was called the "San Michele civilization" by scholars in the last postwar period and, since the 1970s, more commonly the Ozieri culture.
A few meters from the caves there is another, smaller one called "Grotta Mara," in which additional Neolithic artifacts have been found.
St. Michael's caves until the late 1950s featured a large hall that was demolished to make a soccer field.
Sardinia