Ancient Carthage—Here I Come!

When I returned home last year to visit friends and family in Italy, I travelled throughout the island of Sardinia, exploring the ancient ruins of the Phoenicians and Carthaginians.

During my exploration, I discovered the amazing fashion sense of the ancient Nuraghic men, who lived thousands of years ago, dwelling in honeycomb structures and sporting—what we would consider today—very avant-garde styles.

As I return home this Sunday, I plan to continue my research on Phoenician and Carthaginian menswear with a 4-day excursion to the ancient city of Carthage, the ruins of which lay just outside of Tunis—the capital of Tunisia.

Tunisia is a country in North Africa, which is situated just 95 miles (155km) from the coast of Sicily, Italy.

(One of my favorite Tunisians, by the way, is Oussama Mellouli—gold medalist in the 1500m free at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.)

Some scholars attribute the name Tunis to the ancient Phoenician goddess, Tanit, although there exists an array of explanations.

While researching the culture and dress of the ancient Phoenicians and Carthaginians, I hope to meet up with modern Tunisian designer Salah Barka, with whom I have been corresponding.

For the past year, I have been studying Arabic, so I hope it comes in handy! If not, well, fortunately I can rely on some French!

Photo Oussama Mellouli, GNU Free Documentation License at Wikipedia.
Photos Nuraghic figures & sketches, Copyright Angela Demontis 2005, used with permission.
Remaining photos of Phoenician and Nuraghic sites, Copyright Men’s Fashion by Francesco.

The Nuraghic “People of Bronze” Come Back to Life

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.

Book Review 3: "The People of Bronze"

This is the third article that I have translated from the book, the People of Bronze (il Popolo di bronzo in Italian), which marvelously describes the styles of the Nuraghic men, who lived more than 4,000 years ago in Sardinia. For more information on the author, please refer to Part I and Part II:

Armored Archer from Usellus

This little statuette represents the magnificent level attained by the Nuraghic artists in their sculptural work of descriptive reproductions and shows the evolution of warrior armament right to the minimal details.

Unfortunately the little statue had been already disappeared by the time Giovanni Lilliu described it in his beautiful book, Sculptures of Nuraghic Sardegna, 1966.

The clothing worn by this archer recalls that of the Chinese warriors of the Emperor Qin Shi, 3rd century BC (Xi An, China), depicted in the famous “terracotta army,” as well as the fabulous armament of the Japanese samurai. The helmet is a conical type, presenting a very high and elaborate rim with a lower part of spiral work and an upper part that is bound to metal studs. In back, the head armor presents a decoration of herringbone, while the braids fall in front.

The peculiarity of this helmet is the small fox or weasel head, which is placed in front just under the plume. The statuesque figure represents the type of animal force that is incarnated in a warrior: the fox representing astuteness and the weasel—speed. It not merely recalls the depiction of the Egyptian god Anubis but moreover the description of the archer Dolon, a character of the Iliad (Book X), who wears “a helmet of a weasel”!

Ours is wearing a long overcoat that covers the body, almost down to the knees; the upper part seems to be elaborated with reinforced metal plates, which shield also as short sleeves. He is wearing a large defensive plate that hangs from a Y-shape harness, similar to that of No. 38, which is finely decorated and extends to the rear where it supports a cone-like case, a quiver, and launching cane.

The legs are protected from knee to ankle by finely made shin guards, which are composed of a reinforced tibial finishing with tassels on the top and a snug-fitting structure that seems to be made of strips of intertwined leather.

In back, ligatures create extra space to alleviate the complex structure and allow for easy bending of the limbs. The feet are bare. His right hand is clenching an object, which has disappeared but could be a weapon—perhaps a javelin?

As for the left arm, it is protected by a wonderful example of an armored glove (similar to those of the samurai), which, on the back of the hand, bears protective metal washers. The rest of the limb shows a reinforced splint and a long elbow guard, both of which are connected to the sleeve of his jacket with leather straps. The weapon that he is clenching is a long, simple bow.

Particularly curious is the object that is strapped across the shoulder, which can be seen in part from under the arm. They look like two tubes of equal length with some metal fittings. What could it be?

Given the position that allows a rapid extraction, maybe it was a quiver with a reserve of arrows... or it could be a tool disassembled into two pieces to reassemble when the need arises, such as with a javelin or a spear? Unfortunately, one can only dream since the precious and unique figurine has disappeared. It would be useful, given its immense historical value, to inquire into its whereabouts.

Photos & text Copyright Angela Demontis 2005, used with permission.

Book Review 2: "The People of Bronze"

This is a second article that I have translated from the book, the People of Bronze (il Popolo di bronzo in Italian), which describes in great length the fashion of the Nuraghic men, who lived more than 4,000 years ago in Sardinia. For more information on the author, please refer to Part I:

Man with Jacket and Hood

The character represented here is wearing his hair in two short braids, which, starting from the very top, fall down in front of his ears. In back, the hair is kept short.

He is wearing a garment of clothing, which I would dare to define incredibly “modern.” It consists of a jacket that is closed in front with long sleeves and a hood. The shortest section of the coat is decorated with a triple band that ends in a frill with long fringes. In front, on the lapels, one can see the buttons that close it. Underneath it, the hem of a simple tunic hangs out.

In addition, this man of Serri is wearing a pair of long pants that have a crease in front and in the back. The feet are bare. He is carrying a plate of food for offering.

Of important note, the custom of men wearing braids has persisted in Sardinia until about 1800. In fact, numerous noble Sardinians used to wear such a hairdo with pride, as cited in the dictionary Angius-Casalis and in the stories of Grazia Deledda.

Photos & text Copyright Angela Demontis 2005, used with permission.

Book Review 1: "The People of Bronze"

When I was travelling through Sardinia earlier this month, I picked up a fascinating book entitled the People of Bronze (il Popolo di bronzo in Italian), which describes to minute detail the styles and fashion of the Nuraghic men, who lived more than 4,000 years ago.

In a previous article, Nuraghic Men Rocked the Styles!, I posted a design and gleaned much information from the book, which deeply impressed me. I am amazed at the author’s keen insights into the styles of her Sardinian ancestors and, in turn, I was equally struck by their sense of fashion.

The author, Angela Demontis, is an artist and designer, who for many years contributed to the Naturalistic Museum Sa Corono Arruba as scientific designer. Angela has been fascinated with the bronze statuettes called bronzetti, which she describes to great length in her book.

For the next several articles, I have obtained permission from the author to post the English translation of three designs, which represent the Nuraghic fashion scene. The following article is entitled A Man with a Bag from Aidomaggiore:

This bronzetto, unfortunately very destroyed, represents a man who is carrying some very important objects on his shoulder. On his head rests a simple cap and he has short hair.

It seems that he is wearing a tunic with one flap crossing the other, as seen with models no. 70, 72, 80; but they could also be a Cossack and a skirt, which is tied at the sides. The shoulders are covered with a rectangle mantle, not very long, with a turned-up collar, which is closed with double latches and a button.

This person from Aidomaggiore holds in his fist a double rod, which, resting on his shoulder is bent probably due to the weight of the objects at both extremities. In front, exactly under the hand, we see an object, which, although difficult to interpret, I have rendered as seen in the design.

Extreme corrosion and particularly the fact that it was not kept in a museum make the analysis of the object difficult. Hanging from the rod in the back, we see a cylindrical object whose surface is divided into six sections.

Although corroded, one can see clearly the little handles, strap, and hinges of the symmetrical enclosures placed at both ends of the container. It consists of a handbag with two caps (in the design at the bottom), which probably served as a case for musical instruments like the benas and launeddas (‘triple flutes of cane’).

Containers like this are still used by the “old” maestros exactly for carrying such cane instruments. One cannot exclude other uses, too, such as for carrying various tools and other.

Photos & text Copyright Angela Demontis 2005, used with permission.

Sulcis—the Why to it All

My last day in Sardinia was spent exploring Sulcis Iglesiente—the southwestern area of the island, which originally drew the attention of the Phoenicians for its abundance of minerals, coal, and metals.

Now the region is home to abbandoned mines, nuraghi, a temple to the Punic (Carthaginian) deity Sid near Fluminimaggiore, a Phoenician acropolis on Mt. Sirai, necropolises, and a Phoenician-Punic tophet, which was a burial ground for children.

My attention was mostly directed to the Phoenician acropolis, which is situated on a hill that rises 191 meters high and dates back to 730 BC. One of the most impressive remaining structures is the temple to Astarte (photo above).

Slightly down the hill is a necropolis, which consists of underground burial rooms. Just below are the foundations of a tophet.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed the first part of the trip! The next time I write, it will be from the romantically wild metropolis of Naples, which I consider the second fashion capital of Italy.



Panoramic View from Acropolis

Photo, slideshow & video Copyright Men’s Fashion by Francesco.

Paolo Midolo: the Pride of Orani

Surrounded by hills in a lush green valley of central Sardinia, the inhabitants of Orani cannot boast a large population, which number about 3,100 inhabitants, but they can celebrate a long history of artisans, craftsmen, painters, and designers.

One notable “master of apparel”—mastru 'e pannos—is Paolo Midolo, who not only inherited but also revived the tradition of the 3-piece pastoral suit.

For years, while jeans in the sixties and seventies overcame traditional styles, Paolo worked in the talc mines of Orani; but his boutique was never closed.

Then, something happened in the 1980’s: the new generation of youth started to yearn for the classic fabrics of their grandparents.

The corduroy and coarse woolen material called orbace (pronounced “orbache” in English), which constituted the traditional garb, began once again undergirding the pastoral ethnicity of inland Sardinia.

Paolo swiflty fused contemporary styles with the traditional tailoring of his sartoria into an new “ethno-chic” look.

Photos Copyright Paolo Midolo.

Alghero—Sardina’s Little Catalonia

Also known as Barceloneta—‘little Barcelona’—Alghero is a small town of roughly 42,000 inhabitants, 22% of whom speak a variant of the Catalan language.

While the name Alghero derives from the word algae, because of the quantity of this marine vegetation that is deposited onto the coast, the native population derives its origin from Catalonia, Spain.

Traces of civilization date back as far as the 4th century BC. Monuments from the Nuraghic civilization have been unearthed, as well as Phoenician buildings near the city.

The city of Alghero, however, traces its modern beginnings to the Republic of Genoa in the 11th century, which built the fortifications of the city. The Genovese were completely removed from the city in 1353 by the Kingdom of Aragon, which began populating Alghero stricly with Catalonians.

Although Alghero became part of the Kingdom of Savoy in 1720 and, then, the Republic of Italy in 1861, Alghero has remained predominantly a Catalan city.

I dare to say that Alghero is the most picturesque city that I visited in Sardinia, boasting nearby grottos, white beaches and emerald waters, red coral reefs, and a warm mild climate all year.



Photo & slideshow Copyright Men’s Fashion by Francesco.

Oristano: Its Musuem & Festivals

My main purpose of visiting Oristano was to see the artifacts that were taken from the Phoenician colony of Tharros, which are housed in the local museum called the Museo Comunale Antiquarium Arborense di Oristano.

Oristano, or Aristanis in Sardinian, is a small town of about 33,000 inhabitants whose livelihood is based on fishing, farming, and tourists.

The city rose to power in the first centuries of the Saracen attacks, going on to wage war against other Sardinians as it vied for insular power.

One of the most famous events held in Oristano is the 500-year-old equestrian tournament called Sa Sartiglia, which is performed on Carnival Sunday and Fat Tuesday. The event concludes with la Pariglia, a time of equestrian acrobatics.

Notice that in both pictures the men are wearing masks, a ritualistic custom that dates back thousands of years to Sardinia’s ancient past. For more information, check out Sardinia’s museum of masks: Museo delle Maschere Mediterranee.

Unfortunately I was unable to attend the festivities since it is now September, but I did enjoy walking about this Medieval town.

Photos of Sa Sartiglia & la Pariglia Copyright by Igor Bellini reproduced with permission.

Slideshow Copyright Men's Fashion by Francesco.

Bauladu—Country Living in Sardinia

On my way from Cagliari to Alghero, I stopped to see the Nuraghe Su Nuraxi near Barùmini and the Phoenician colony of Tharros, just outside Oristano, so I decided to lodge in the countryside.

I choose a bed & breakfast run by a sheepherder and his wife who live in a small town called Bauladu, which lies in an area that is filled with ancient historical sites.

As I was driving about the town, I ran into some young teenagers who were dressed in the traditional local dress!

After I asked them permission to take their picture, they explained to me that they are part of a folkloristic dance group called “Gruppo Folk Bauladu,” which performs at special events and festivals.

The boys and girl were dressed in the typical dress of their village, which differs in many ways from other cities and towns throughout the island.

Notice the spacious white shirt, normally made of linen or cotton and called ghentone, which often has an embroidered collar and buttonholes for gold jewels.

Over the shirt is a vrassette, a type of vest, which can also be a double breasted jacket of corduroy with red borders and a red inner lining.

Pants, called cartzones, are made of white linen or cotton and, while wide at the top, are tucked into boots. Around the waste, they sport a leather belt—chintorja—whose embroideries used to display social class.

Over the pants, they boys are wearing a short kilt-like black skirt known as the cartzones de vresi, which, gathered at the waste, is usually made of the coarse Sardinian wool called orbace (pronounced orbache in English).

Not seen here is the floppy black cone-shape cap called sa berretta, which tops off the outfit. Sometimes a brown or black long-hair fur coat called sas peddas is worn over the jacket.



Photos & slideshow Copyright Men's Fashion by Francesco.

Tharros: from Phoenicia to Carthage & onto Rome

Sometime around the year 730 BC, the Phoenicians settled the area also for the purpose of trade, founding the colony of Tharros, which in all probability meant ‘island’ in their language.

In 500 BC, however, Tharros was conquered by the Carthaginians, descendants of the Phoenicians, who built the preponderant walls of the city and a Semitic temple to Tanit.

The Romans conquered Tharros in 238 BC and urbanized the colony with hot and cold thermal baths, a small gladiator arena, aqueducts, roads, and a sewerage system. The two picturesque columns are the remains of four, bearing testimony to the temple of Jove where animal sacrifices were offered.

Finally, Tharros suffered over a hundred years of raids by the Vandals, from 450-533 AD, ultimately inviting the aide of Byzantium, whose reign over the city lasted from 533-900 AD.

By 1070, the city was completely abandoned, most likely due to the incursions of Barbary pirates.

Lower Tharros: Phoenician, Punic & Roman Remains
(Turn off the playlist below before clicking to start.)



Photos, slideshow & videos Copyright Men’s Fashion by Francesco.

Tharros: Nuraghic Foundation

The ancient colony of Tharros was one of the principal attractions that drew me to Sardinia.

Like other ancient colonies in Sardinia, not just one people settled the area but rather successive civilizations built upon the foundations of the previous ones.

The first settlers of what is called the Sinis promontory, near present-day Oristano, were the Nuraghic people, who lived in circular, cone-shaped buildings of stone with thatched roofs and engaged in trade with the Greeks.

Have a look at their location on the hill (video) and, then, take a walk amidst the foundations of their ancient village (slideshow). To see how Nuraghic men’s fashion rocked—literally—click here.

Nuraghic Village at Tharros


Foundations of Nuraghic Structures


For more reading on Nuraghic men and their fashion, please refer to the following articles:

Nuraghic Fashion: Intro
Nuraghic Fashion: Part 1
Nuraghic Fashion: Part 2
Nuraghic Fashion Part 3

Photos, slideshow & videos Copyright Men’s Fashion by Francesco.

Nuraghic Men Rocked the Styles!

When it came to styles and fashion, the Nuraghic men rocked—literally! Various bronze statutes called bronzetti have been discovered allover Sardinia, giving testimony to the fashionable dress of the Nuraghic men. Take a close look at this picture of a bronzetto (left).

The clothing of the Nuraghic people has been cleverly analyzed and interpreted by Sardinian designer, who has recorded her findings in a fabulous book entitled il Popolo di Bronzo:

A chieftain is wearing a cap on his head, very similar to the Sardinian beret worn today. The front of this cap is folded with the upper and lower folds fastened with a button. Later, we shall see other statues sporting caps with fringes, rows of creases, or a central band spanning from back to front.

In back, the chieftain’s hair is parted and shaved in the shape of a wide triangle. Other statues evidence different manners of shaving, such as two waist-length braids with a part that has been shaved about an inch (2.5 cm) in width. Stylistic shaving was definitely in among the rocks!

The chieftain is dressed in a double tunic, one longer than the other, with the two fringed ends of a decorative belt hanging out in front. Tunics were often sleeveless. The neck of this tunic is round, but other statues feature very cool asymmetrical v-necks!

Strapped across one shoulder and around the chest is a leather bandolier, which holds a dagger. The staff—an offensive and defensive weapon—has four rows of buds fashionably arranged from top to bottom. The chief’s legs and feet are bare; others wore fancy sandals.

Finally, the chieftain dons a rectangular cape, which is stylishly folded down over the arms and sown into sleeves. He ties the mantle in back with a fringed scarf. Hey, matching scarves and belts! The bottom of the mantle has a decorative border.

Other curiosities of the bronzetti include Nuraghic men in short wrap-around skirts with a handbag under the arm and strapped over the shoulder—wearing nothing else but a high, wide band around the head. A v-shaped beard seems to be the Nuraghic suggestion for this look.

Nuraghic men also enjoyed wild hairstyles like a long twisted lock flowing down over one shoulder with a braid that wound around in a circle on top! Other statutes part the hair into two braids, which are wound into circles at each side around the ears.

Now it is your turn to check out the bronzetti below and try to decipher what other styles were rocking in the nuraghi!



For more reading on Nuraghic men and their fashion, please refer to the following articles:

Nuraghic Fashion: Part 1
Nuraghic Fashion: Part 2
Nuraghic Fashion Part 3

Photo top left from the Museo archeologico di Pula.
Photo middle right Copyright Angela Demontis 2005.
Slideshow from the Polo Museale Casa Zapata in Barumini.

Sardinian Nuraghis Rock!

After a fantastic tour of the nuraghi Su Nuraxi in Barùmini, I continued driving north, just past Oristano, to Nuraghe Losa in Abbasanta. (See photo to the left.)

The construction of this nuraghe transpired in the period between the 18th-15th centuries BC. A little over half of the 20-meter central tower is standing, along with its surrounding wall.

After a brief visit, I ventured further north to Torralba on my way to Alghero to see Nuraghe Santu Antine, which is typical of many Nuraghic towers, only better preserved. The construction of this Nuraghic village occurred between the 18th-15th centuries BC.

This 17-meter high tower is surrounded by a wall, which is adjoined to interlinking dwellings that encircle the wall. Within the wall, there is an impressive courtyard with a well and entrances that lead to assorted corridors and staircases.

After meandering through the different Nuraghic villages and structures below, be sure to check out the next article on the Nuraghic men’s sense of style! Nuraghi knew how to rock!

Nuraghe Santu Antine





For more reading on Nuraghic men and their fashion, please refer to the following articles:

Nuraghic Fashion: Intro
Nuraghic Fashion: Part 1
Nuraghic Fashion: Part 2
Nuraghic Fashion Part 3

Photo, slideshow & video Copyright Men’s Fashion by Francesco.

The Nuraghic People, "Su Nuraxi" & UNESCO

After several days of exploring Cagliari and the surrounding areas, I rented a car and set out to delve deep into Sardinia’s rich, distant past—the Nuraghic civilization, which has produced my favorite menswear designers of ancient times!

The Nuraghic people, who most likely arrived to Sardinia from the Italian peninsula, have inhabited the island for thousands of years. Over time, however, these settlers began staking out tribal territories, which they guarded with cone-shaped stone towers called nuraghi. Obviously, the ancient Nuraghic tribes had become masters of architecture and engineering.

At the center of the Nuraghic village rose a tall defensive tower, which was often surrounded by smaller towers that were interlocked to round, cone-shaped dwellings with thatched roofs—also called nuraghi. It is estimated that over 8,000 of the preexisting 30,000 nuraghi are still standing today.

The first nuraghe that I visited was near Barùmini on the way to Oristano. Su Nuraxi has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This spectacular series of beehive-like structures was actually a Nuraghic village, the construction of which dates back to the 11th century BC.

At the center stands an impressive 20-meter high tower surrounded by four defensive towers, which, in turn, are enclosed by seven more. Fifty interlocking dwellings encircle the towers. A labyrinth of tunnels and corridors run throughout the towers.

After taking a stroll through the Nuraghic village below, be sure to go on and check out the fashion sense of the Nuraghic men who built it. Nuraghic men rocked—literally!

Nuraghe Su Nuraxi

For more reading on Nuraghic men and their fashion, please refer to the following articles:

Nuraghic Fashion: Intro

Nuraghic Fashion: Part 1

Nuraghic Fashion: Part 2

Nuraghic Fashion Part 3

Photo, slideshow & video Copyright Men’s Fashion by Francesco.

Nora: from Phoenicia to Carthage and onto Rome

In modern times, cities often pave over old cobblestone streets and brick roads with cement or asphalt, so it should not seem too foreign that ancient civilizations built upon the preceding ones.

Today, I went to Nora, roughly 30 kilometers southwest of Cagliari, where successive colonies were constructed one upon the other, starting with the Phoenicians, then the Carthaginians, and finally the Romans.

Once an island, Nora is now a promontory with a portion of the city submerged beneath the sea; but, recently, many artifacts have been unearthed, revealing the lives and times of each civilization.

Nora was founded in 9th century BC by the Phoenicians, who settled amongst the local Nuraghic population of Sardinia. When the Carthaginians arrived later in the 6th century BC, they met with enormous resistance by the Nuraghic people.

The Carthaginians, in turn, defeated the Nuraghic people, destroying all their nuraghi in the area. The Carthaginians, however, met with the same fate in the 3rd century BC when the Romans attacked Nora, burning the city to the ground.

By the year 450 AD, Nora had been completely abandoned because of the incessant raids of the Vandals, who invaded not only Nora but many other colonies along the coast of Sardinia.





Photo, slideshow & Video Copyright Men's Fashion by Francesco.

When in Sardinia, Eat as the Sardinians...and with them!

Last night I went out to dinner with some of my father’s friends, who took me to a restaurant in Quartu Sant’Elena, just outside of Cagliari, called Pane e Casu Quartu (‘Quartu Bread and Cheese’), which is run by an exquisite Sardinian culinary expert, Efisio Mameli (photo bottom left).

Sardinian cuisine is atypical of many islands due to a long history of invasions, which forced the local populations to dwell inland rather than on the coast. Instead of a fish-based cuisine, therefore, the typical cuisine of Sardinia is pastoral, including animals like—yes!—the donkey!

Last night’s feast was kicked off royally with the queen of Sardinian reds—the dry, full-body Monica wine—which was accompanied by various sorts of creamy pecorino cheeses served on Sardinian shepherd’s bread—pan carasau (literally, ‘bread cooked to crispiness’). Dating back to the Nuraghic people of the 2nd millennium BC, pan carasau is also known today as carta da musica (‘music paper’).

After a trio of appetizers consisting of sautéed eggplant, chickpeas, and fava beans, two pasta dishes were presented in loving abbondanza: Culurgionis—thick shells made of semolina, filled with a creamy pecorino cheese, and flavored with saffron; and Pasta de busa—made by wrapping the pasta around knitting needles and served in a sauce of ground wild boar meat seasoned with mint.

The second course consisted of two meat dishes. First, we savored some porceddu, which is milk-fed suckling pig roasted on a spit and served on a bed of myrtle. Then came the ass—thin flanks of donkey meat grilled to tender perfection.

We concluded the banquet with a plate of seadas, deep fried ravioli-like pastries that are filled with a creamy pecorino cheese and drizzled with bitter honey.

Of course, we couldn’t leave without a few shots of Fil’e ferru, a type of Sardinian grappa or “white lightening,” followed by another shot of Mirto—liquor made from red myrtle berries.

We all concluded that the best way to digest all these tasty delights was to take a long night walk along Poetto, Cagliari’s main beach!

Photos Copyright Men’ Fashion by Francesco.

Cartharge, of Phoenicians and Punics

At the height of power, Carthage dominated up to 300 Phoenician colonies on the coasts and islands of the Mediterranean.

But their first conquest was Sardinia, where they claimed Karalis, today’s Cagliari.

Carthage—the “shining city”situated near modern-day Tunisia—was founded around 814 BC by the Phoenicians who emigrated from Tyre, naming their new home Qart-ḥadašt, which means ‘new city’.

Since the Carthaginians were essentially Phoenicians, the Romans called them Punics—pūnicus, which is merely the Latin name for “Phoenician.” Remember, the Greeks referred to the Phoenicians as phoinikois after the purple dye.

When Phoenicia was conquered by Persia (present-day Iran) in 539 BC, Carthage inherited the entire trade network from Tyre, emerging as the commercial center of the Western Mediterranean. However, as the new leader of the Phoenician colonies around the Mediterranean, Carthage was thrust into conflict, mostly in Sicily, with the Greeks and Romans who were vying for power.

Probably the most notable Carthaginian of all was Hannibal (248–183 BC), one of the greatest military commanders in history who led an army of mercenaries, compatriots, and elephants through Spain and over the Alps against the Romans.

After 668 years of existence, Carthage was brutally destroyed by Rome in the Third Punic War, in 146 BC.

Like Phoenicia, Carthage produced embroidered and dyed garments of linen, cotton, and silk, as well as ceramics and metalwork.

As for menswear, I have uncovered the attire of Punic solders (photo, type left, courtesy of Phoenician expert Salim George Khalaf). They sported long braids that were tied back with a golden ring.

Then, in the Archeological musuem of Cagliari, I made some very interesting discoveries!

First, as the photo to the middle right evidences, Carthaginian men wore a type of tunic with short sleeves that extended to the knees and was tied with a belt.

Secondly, the Punic man on the right side of the vase (bottom left photo) appears to be wearing a sort of long, flowing Roman-like outer garment that draps over the shouler and an ankle-length inner garment.

Photo Carthaginian Copyright Phoenica.org.
Photo middle right, statuettes of Punic men, Museo archedologico nazionale di Cagliari.
Photo bottom left, vase of Punic woman and man, Museo archedologico nazionale di Cagliari.

Phoenicians: the People of Purple

The New York Times has reported that 1 in 17 men living today on the coasts of North Africa and southern Europe have a direct, male-line Phoenician ancestor.

Phoenician expert Salim George Khalaf, with whom I have recently become acquainted, is one such descendant.

But who were they?

The Phoenicians were great seafarers—an ancient maritime power—and the direct forefathers of modern-day Lebanon.

Experts like Sanford Holst conclude that the Phoenicians emerged from the Canaanite peoples of the Levant, forming their society about 3200 BC in Byblos (present-day Jbeil, Lebanon).

For millennia, the Phoenicians sailed throughout the Mediterranean, not as invaders but as peaceful traders.

About 1100 BC, they began setting up colonies along the coasts and on islands like Sicily, Sardinia, Ischia, and Mallorca. Their most illustrious colony, however, was undoubtedly Carthage. But Sardinia was attractive to the Phoenicians for the extraction of metals and ores.

In the 8th century BC, the Phoenicians founded the Sardinian colonies of Nora, Karalis (Cagliari), Sulci, and Tharros. Situated on the Bay of Oristano, Tharros is now an open-air museum of ongoing excavation with one section submerged under the sea. The same applies to Nora.

While historians often state that the foundations of Western Society rest on the ancient pillars of Rome and Greece, many have sadly overlooked the sturdy pillar of the ancient Phoenicians.

Phoenician culture profoundly impacted the Mediterranean in the areas of shipbuilding, trade, religion, language, and the alphabet, which is the ancestor of most modern alphabets today!

Forerunners to a global economy, the intercultural spirit, and the concept of networking, the Phoenicians traded in metals, glass, wood, spices, and jewels. They even perfected the art of dog breeding. Their main industry, however, was textiles.

Sometimes referred to as the “purple people,” the Phoenicians extracted a purple dye from the shells of sea snails called Murex. So notable were the Phoenicians for this Tyrian purple powder that they obtained their name from the ancient Greek word for purple—phoinikois.

Typically, Phoenician men wore a type of skirt that extended from the waist to the knees, closely resembling the Egyptian shenti. At times, a full-body robe with folds or pleats was worn underneath.

The upper body was clothed in a close-fitting tunic with elbow-length sleeves. The tunic was joined with metal rings or clasps at the shoulders. Necklaces of beeds were fashionably hung from one ring to another and across the chest.

Gracefully draped in folds, mantles could be thrown over one shoulder, reaching as far as the knee. Borders of garments for the upper class were often embroidered.

Phoenician men sported large pendants, armlets, bracelets, and signet rings, as well as ornamental metalic collars similar to the Egyptians. They wore earrings and nose rings, as well. Preferring long curly hair and beards with no mustaches, the men sported cone-shaped caps.

2010 Trends & Takeaways from the Period:
For the past several seasons, various shades of purple have dominated the color palette of menswear collections. Apparently, the trend will continue throughout the year, and just think: we owe it all to the Phoenicians!

Photo top left, Phoenician dress, Public Domain.
Photo upper right, Phoenician writing, Museo archedologico nazionale di Cagliari.

Photo lower left, Phoenician dress, Museo archeologico "Villa Sulcis."

Photo bottom right, Phoenician bracelet, Museo archedologico nazionale di Cagliari.

Bagella: Preserving Traditional Menswear in Sardinia

In my previous article, I summarized the history of Sardinia, briefly describing the evolution of traditional Sardinian menswear, which emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries when special laws that had connected social class to certain garments were abolished.

These legal changes opened the doors to new fabrics from Catalonia (Spain) and other Mediterranean influences, which affected colors and styles. Alas, the so-called “Ethnic Suit” was born, which is still worn in Sardinia by politicians and artists today.

Fabrics usually consist of corduroy and moleskin. The color palette comprises dark brown, black, green, and grey. Jackets are single-breasted with 2 or 3 buttons, 4 appliqued pockets, and a half belt in the back.

Shirts are white and made of cotton or linen with a small collar, sometimes with pleating in the front. Formerly riding pants, trousers tend to narrow at the bottom so that they may be tucked into leather boots. Pockets feature embroidered borders.

In 1932, Nino Bagella opened a traditional Sardinian clothing store on the Vittorio Emanuele boulevard. The atelier is now one of the oldest shops in Sassari (Tàthari in Sardinian), the second largest city in northwest Sardinia, which is surrounded by olive trees, oaks, and maquis shrubs like sage.

Carrying on the tradition, Nino’s son, Rinaldo, continues to preserve the poised ruggedness of original Sardinian styles, which are crafted by local artisans.

Photos Copyright Bagella.
Slideshow Copyright Bagella.