| Archaeological Museum
 The
Villasimius Archaeological Museum, founded to document and promote
the patrimony of the area and of the surrounding sea, is located
in via Frau, a small, antique street (once made up of a unique
great granite stairway, still present in part under the current
road  surface),
perpendicular to central vias Roma and Umberto 1st and made up
of a restructured 19th century house with courtyard. It is well
organised and divided into four different rooms, which can be
seen comfortably by everyone during visits, accompanied by well-mannered,
expert guides:
- The Sea Room exhibits important discoveries, mainly
from the seabed, from the sixth century BC to the sixth century
AD. A model vertical section from a Phoenician hold shows how
the various amphoras used to preserve and transport both liquids
and solids, usually oil, wine and grain, were arranged. Moreover,
we find here the cargo of a Roman shipwreck, nicknamed ”
of the Channel ’’, since it was recovered between
Cavoli Island and Cape Carbonara. This transported mainly building
materials - bricks, slabs, tiles and other specialised items.
- The Sanctuary Room exposes the discoveries from Cuccureddus,
where the Phoenicians settled in the seventh century BC and constructed
a sanctuary with local outhouses for sacred prostitution, frequented
by sailors of the period, who landed in the port below the mouth
of the Foxi river. The Sanctuary was destroyed by a fire around
540 BC. Following this, it was settled again by the Romans, who
left abundant signs of their presence in the region.
- The Territory Room, built from the old stables, offers
a wealth of information about many sites in the area and explains
how, in the past, the territory was settled by diverse peoples.
Panels, photographs and discoveries depict the most ancient sites
of the Neolithic period (6000 to 3000 BC) and conclude with the
settlement of Santa Maria, Cruccuris and Accu Is Traias in the
late Roman era (450 AD).
- The Wreckage Room, completes the museum trip with a
room dedicated to the’’ wreck of Cavoli Island’’
(15th century ship headed for Sicily from the Balearic Islands),
undoubtedly the most important among the of shipwrecks found in
the sea around the island. A great number of discoveries are,
in fact, well preserved, enabling historians to determine their
age, origin and destination; the famous ”azulejos”
formed part of the cargo, small blue, hand-decorated, paving tiles
from Spain, with heraldic emblems, adding further precision to
the date of the material. Other finds from the wreck, which reinforce
the theory of the ship’s origin and purpose, are exposed
here; among these amphoras, plates, bowls and other ceramics,
destined for building work, are noteworthy. Moreover, an abundant
supply of weapons are displayed: swords with different shaped
handles and, in particular, around 30 cannons, three of which
are exhibited only after long restoration in a specialised workshop
in Liguria; the exhibition is completed with a bronze cauldron
with small bombards and iron and stone bullets.
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