The Halls

The exhibition route

The exhibition traces the history of obsidian, from its formation to the Neolithic period, a time when its use is first placed.

The scientific section, with a strongly interdisciplinary slant, proposes an itinerary that, starting from the way obsidian was formed, investigates its chemical and physical characteristics to arrive at an understanding of how it was procured, the reasons that led communities of the Neolithic period to its use, and the technological aspects inherent in its processing by chipping.

Entrance and reception

The museum tour constitutes a real experience in direct contact with prehistory. In the exhibition rooms there are reproductions of some of the tools that were used in ancient times to work obsidian, and it is possible to touch reproductions of some of the artifacts used by our ancestors in daily life.

Room 1: Lithic raw materials from the Mt. Arch.
The museum tour opens with an account of the formation of Mt. Arci and the origin of obsidian.
Other raw materials characterized by a glassy internal structure similar to that of our volcanic rock are also eposed in this room; such rocks, because of their characteristics and perhaps also because they were found in conjunction with obsidian, which is more sought after, were sometimes used for tool making.

Room 2: Obsidian and its characteristics
In this room we learn about obsidian as a raw material: its origin, characteristics, and spread around the world.
A large display shows obsidian from different locations around the planet: Ecuador and Peru, Pantelleria and Lipari, Aegean islands, Georgia, Armenia, and Ethiopia. The material on display allows visitors to appreciate the many colorations that volcanic glass can take on as a result of oxidation processes of minerals such as iron. It will be possible to see obsidian colored green, red, brown, but also completely transparent.

Room 3: The obsidian of Mt. Arch.
Ample space in the museum itinerary is devoted to learning about the different obsidian formations of Mount Arci exploited by communities that lived in the Neolithic period and the mechanical characteristics of this raw material that made it possible to make tools with the sharpest edges in all of Prehistory.

Room 4: Prehistoric rock processing
In this room, one gets to the heart of the telling of a fascinating story. Through the material eposted in the showcases and to the videos available in a multimedia, one will learn what the obsidian processing techniques were, what artifacts were made, and what the dissemination of the raw material was in the Mediterranean and in what eras.

Media room

This space is intended for personal enjoyment of numerous additional contents that can be used independently through a touchscreen multimedia.

Loggia: meaning and modern use of obsidian
The corridor exhibit features materials produced by Sardinian artisans who shaped obsidian, using modern tools, drawing inspiration from island history and freely reinterpreting archaeological artifacts.

Inner courtyard: reproduction of an atelier setting
Teaching room, specialized library and book shop

The museum has a large room on the upper floor dedicated to lectures and education.
It also has a space for consulting texts on the obsidian theme and an original bookshop, at the reception areas.

Toilettes

Two toilets also equipped for people with mobility disabilities are available at the museum.

Elevator

A convenient elevator allows all users to reach the upper floor of the Museum where there is a large viewing terrace and lecture hall.

Terrace

The terrace on the upper floor allows a 360-degree panoramic view of the surrounding area ranging from the Giare to the mountain complex of Mt. Gennargentu.