BIZARRE SARDINIA: THE NAME OF THE ISLAND
Sardinia Curiosities
Many are the names with which the Island of Sardinia has been called in the past and many and fascinating are the theories in regards.
The most recognized theories want the name of Sardinia origined from the greek term Sandaliotis, that means Sandal, given to the Island for her shape very similar to a foot (together with Corsica Island).
For the same reason apparently the Greeks have named the Island also as Ichnussa(̉Ιχνοũσσα), meaning footprint. Much earlier than the Greeks the same Nuraghics people, inhabitants of the Island from the prehistoric era, were calling their own island as ̉Ιχνοũσα, ̉Ιχνοũσσα which is actually a perfect folk etimology with its ancient root in iqnû‘lapis lazuli, turquoise’, ‘blue varnish’ + -sû ‘the X-man’, composed as iqnû-sû > Iqnusa, which would mean ‘the man of the Big Green’ and in fact ‘the island of the Big Green’’.
3000-6000 years ago the Island of Sardinia was known as miracle Island (as testified in many Phoenician scripts) for its magnificient fertility, for its woodiness, for its salt flats, for being completed surrounded by red corals and for its mines. In fact the Island was known also as island of the silver veins.
Most of you readers are surely much more familiar with the name Ichnusa being nowdays the name of the very famous and beloved regional beer. From today, each time you will be you will be drinking a refreshing Ichnusa you may remember that this is one of the very first names of our Island. Footprint or The Island of the Big Green? Make your choice!