Introduction

Giovanni Spano was one of the most famous and important ’800 Sardinian intellectuals, both for the variety of his interests, which ranged between linguistics, philology, history, archaeology, literature, folk traditions, both for the important offices he was given in the cultural and scientific structures of his time:

• 7^th May 1839, director of Cagliari University Library; October 1844, Canonical in Villaspeciosa;

• 21^st April 1852, correspondent member of the Prussian Archaeology Institute in Rome;

• 9^th July 1852, honorary member of the London British Archaeology Society;

• 1852, President of the Association of Mutual Help of Cagliari Professors;

• 1853, Member of University Council;

• 1854, Headmaster of Saint Theresa’s Royal College and Boarding–school and Cavalier of St. Maurice’s and Lazarus’ Order;

• 22^nd June 1857, vice–chancellor of Cagliari University and member of Naples Pontian Academy;

• 1858, Member of Palermo Science Academy;

• 1859, Member of Country History Society in Liguria;

• 1861, correspondent of Chambery Academy;

• 1862, Member of Milan Archaeological Society, Annecy Florimontana Society and Milan University;

• 1863, Knight of Saint Maurice and Lazarus;

• 1869,  Dean in Cagliari Capitolo (an office he refused);

• 1871, vice–president of Bologna Archaeological Congress;

• 15^th November 1871, Kingdom Deputy;

• 1872, Cavalier of Savoia order and Honorary President of Alessandro Manzoni Society;

• 1875, he took part to Bruxelles International Congress and he was made member of Copenaghen Royal Society of antiquaries

For his relations with cultured Sardinian man, Italy and even Europe, and for his attention to Sardinian architectural, demo–etno–anthropological, historic and artistic goods.

Here we will try to give a biographic picture of this man, who was a great scholar from Ploaghe and founded modern archaeology in Sardinia.

We must not forget that Spano was the first to use, about Sardinian prehistoric archaeology, the terms, like Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, used in the European scientific circles at that time.

Italiano

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