Monte Tiscali - Doline and Ancient Culture EarthCache
Monte Tiscali - Doline and Ancient Culture
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Monte Tiscali
Monte Tiscali, located in the Sardinian Supramonte mountains, hosts a very rare combination of a geological and archeological landmark. A large doline, which is located at the top of the mountain hosts one of Sardinias most prominent remainders of the nuragic culture.
The whole Supramonte moutain range is composed from limestone that can be dated back to the Jura period (100-180 million years ago). Its landscape thus represents a large karst topography resulting in a myriad of gorges, grottas, and caves. Karst landforms are generally the result of mildly acidic water acting on soluble bedrock, in this case limestone. The carbonic acid that causes these features is formed as rain passes through the atmosphere picking up carbondioxide (CO2), which dissolves in and is transported by the water. Once the rain reaches the ground, it may pass through soil that may provide further carbondioxides to form a weak carbonic acid solution: H2O + CO2 = H2CO3 (the carbonic acid). This is similar to the accid that can be found in soda water. Recent studies of sulfates in karst waters, suggests sulfuric acid and hydrosulfuric acid may also play an important role in karst formation. |
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On Tiscali moutain, the karst process created a large underground cavern, which was constantly enlarged by addidional accid water coming down from the surface of the moutain. A series of earthquakes then caused the ceiling of the underground cavern to collapse forming a sinkhole, a so called doline. The general forming process of a doline is shown below.
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Creation of a Doline - Part 1
Karst activites form a small crack in the limestone
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Creation of a Doline - Part 2
The crack and subsequently the new cave below the survace widens due to continous karst activities caused by surface water. |
Creation of a Doline - Part 3
Seismologic activites cause the cave below the surface to collapse and the doline is formed. |
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Monte Tiscali |
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Dolines can be found all over the world in karst areas and usually they are identified by are large hole leading to an even larger underground dome; however the doline located on Monte Tiscali has a unique feature: It has completely collapsed, forming a large crater on top of the moutain.
But Tiscali is not only interesting from a geologcial point of view, it offers also achaeological riches. While it is not clear when exactly the nuragic village that can be found in the doline was built, other remainders of the nurgaic culture that can be found across Sardinia date back to about 14000-12000 years before Christ. In total more than 60 huts with walls composed of limestone bricks and clay, have been found in Tiscali. The strucutre of the huts give the impression that they were built in a hury and not as a means for permanent settlement.
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-->How to get to Tiscali?
Access to Tiscali is not trivial since there is no road or any kind of mechnical transport going there. The only possible approach is one of two significant hikes.
- The shorter approach is from the Sa Barva bridge ( N 40° 13.410 E 009° 30.965), where you can also park your car. The hike from here is about 2 hours.
To get with the car to Sa Barva bridge, follow the long and small road from Dorgali. It ends at the bridge.
- The slightly longer and much more challenging but also more breathtaking approach is from the Sa Oche hut. Here you can park at N 40° 15.379 E 009° 29.210.
Reaching Sa Oche hut by car is not trivial. The approach is from the road that connects Oliena to Dorgali. Some 8 km out of Oliena, take the side road at N 40° 17.352 E 009° 27.900 and drive towards Sorgenti su Gologne. Before you reach that, turn right at N 40° 17.358 E 009° 27.523 and follow the road for a long time until you arrive at the hut.
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-->Visiting Tiscali
Access to the Tiscali ruins requires a fee to be paid (currently 5 EUR) to the representatives of the Dorgali archaeologic museum. While we highly recommend it, it is not necessary to complete the cache.
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-->Logging Requirements
To log the cache, you need to answer the following questions. You can go ahead and log direclty after sending the answers. If there is an issue, I will come back to you.
1) Tiscali was not a permanent settlement. The inhabitants moved only here in case of imminent threats to their communitiy from the Romans but also other tribes. There are two main reasons related to the geology of the place why Tiscali was not suitable for a permanent settlement. Can you name them?
2) How wide do you think the doline is in diameter at the widest point?
3) Take a photo of your GPS in front of the information board at the entrance. This is optional, however, for reasons for fairness, please upload a photo.
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Additional Hints
(No hints available.)