Lake Omodeo and the petrified forest of Zuri-Soddi
Ancient Sardinia: fossil trees from 25 million years ago
Where is
The origins of the fossil forest
It was volcanic eruptions that covered the forests of the plain where the Tirso River flows with ash and lapilli, starting the process of petrifying the trees. Twenty-five million years later, in 1924, a dam was built on the Tirso that created the Omodeo Reservoir. Many of the stone trees were submerged, as was the village of Zuri.
In Zuri to discover the fossil forest
Our adventure starts right in the center of the tiny village of Zuri rebuilt further upstream from Lake Omodeo at the time of the dam construction. Even the old Romanesque-Gothic church, named after St. Peter, was dismantled, brick by brick, and reassembled in the new Zuri. Right here, in the garden behind the church, we can admire some specimens of the petrified trees.
In Soddi fossil trees and churches.
More stone trees await us in the nearby municipality of Soddì, a few kilometers further north. At the small country church of Santa Maria Maddalena, a fossil trunk has become the base of the altar, while at the Church of the Holy Spirit, another fossil trunk has been placed to support a sibling, a very old hollow-trunked hackberry tree! Seeing is believing!
On the shores of Lake Omodeo
From Zuri we follow the signs to Lake Omodeo: with a descent of a couple of kilometers we reach the shores of the lake. This is perhaps one of the most striking beaches, characterized by clay walls carved and decorated by the wind. Under our feet: sand, quartz and clays of different colors. Here we can relax and swim, but diving and snorkeling enthusiasts can challenge themselves in search of submerged fossil logs.
Biodiversity and scents
This is a magical and sometimes surreal place. We could walk for miles along the lakeshore encountering ever-changing landscapes. Even walking on the easy low path from which we arrived, we will be immersed in biodiversity, among rosehips and fragrant lavender plants. But the real rulers of this archaic place are the flocks with their shepherd dogs. It goes without saying that this environment should be protected and respected: we keep our four-legged friends on leashes and do not abandon our garbage there.
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