Presentation

Island people, the Sards / Sardinians have preserved the use of an archaic form of Italic roman (Logudorese, Nuorese, Campidanese; Gallurese and Sassarese).

Since at least 1281, the emblem of Sardinia has been the cross of Saint George quartered with four severed heads wearing a headband, which are heraldically interpreted as Moorish heads. As the connection between Sardinia and the Aragonese victory at Alcoraz (1096), won thanks to Saint George, is not a direct one, the quaternary is instead linked to the four giudicati — Sardinian giudigadu, plural -i — or the island’s former administrative divisions, “kingdoms” (rennu, plural -i), of Byzantine origin: Logudoro, Gallura, Cagliari (Casteddu de Callaris), and Arborea. The white headband, inherited from Hellenistic symbolism, represents command and royalty.

The emblem shown here is therefore composed of the red cross and four Byzantine crosses. (The design of this cross can be found on many Sardinian coins, including the so-called alfonsino sardo around 1310.)