BOSA

bosa, a seaport and episcopal see on the w. coast of sardinia, in the province of cagliari, 30 m. w. of macomer by rail. pop. (1901) 6846. the height above the town is crowned by a castle of the malaspina family. the cathedral, founded in the 12th century, restored in the 15th, and rebuilt in 1806, is fine. there are some tanneries, and the fishing industry is important, but the coral production of sicily has entirely destroyed that of bosa since 1887. the district produces oil and wine. the present town of bosa was founded in 1112 by the malaspina, 1-1/2 m. from the site of the ancient town (bosa or calmedia), where a well-preserved church still exists. the old town is of roman origin, but is only mentioned by pliny and ptolemy, and as a station on the coast-road in the itineraries (_corp. inscr. lat._ x. 7939 seq.). one of the inscriptions preserved in the old cathedral records the erection of four silver statues, of antoninus pius, his wife faustina and their two sons.