The Devil’s Saddle, like the entire St. Elias promontory, consists of sedimentary rocks of Miocene age, thus geologically quite young. Within this type of karst rocks, several small caves have formed, which have been found to have been inhabited by man since the 6th millennium BC. On the summit plateau, near the highest point of the promontory (m 135 asl), there was in the Punic period a place of worship dedicated to Astarte. A Punic cistern, elongated in shape, of truly remarkable dimensions: 27 meters long by 4.5 meters deep, is still visible. Not far away is another Roman cistern, of the classic truncated section shape. To the Roman period dates the martyrdom of St. Elijah, who, according to tradition, was killed here during Diocletian’s persecutions. The entire promontory bears his name today. In the 11th century the whole area was entrusted to the Vittorini monks, who built a proper monastery and took care of salt pans, fishponds and cultivable areas of the surrounding areas. The tower, now half-ruined, present at the highest and most panoramic point of the promontory is to be considered, however, as being part of the defense and sighting system created by the Spaniards in the 16th century; however, it would seem that already during the Pisan period there was a tower, called “della Lanterna,” with signaling functions. Later the same tower was also called the tower of the pouhet, that is, of the well, since it was located near the Roman cistern. The whole area would later be called “pouhet,” hence the name “Poetto” given to the beach of the people of Cagliari. Coastal towers continued to be used in the Savoy era. During World War II a blockhouse and other constructions were made, which are still clearly visible. In all probability, stones from the remains of the small church of St. Elias were reused, of which, unfortunately, the perimeter can barely be appreciated today.
