The Sardinia has a rich handicraft
heritage that reflects its historical and cultural stratification. To trace the origins of this
heritage one must go on a long and adventurous journey back in time to prehistory. It is during this
journey that it is possible to recognize the Pre-Neolithic, Neolithic, Roman and Byzantine
influences. Although Sardinian popular art has been influenced by these cultures, it has always had
unique features which have distinguished it from other cultures.
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These features are its originality and
simplicity, expressed in terse forms, which derive from a rich local tradition that includes history,
traditions, art and life. Therefore Sardinian handicrafts can be defined as real popular art, as a
means of cultural expression of the whole population.
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 A carpet from Isili |
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The continuity of traditional techniques
has also been preserved throughout the centuries. Sardinian carpets, for example, have not only their
own unique local characteristics that an expert can identify among carpets from hundreds of different
countries, but the manufacturing techniques, the materials, the designs and the colors, (which vary
greatly from village to village) ensure that Sardinian carpets can be easily recognized.
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