Nuragic

Nuragic refers to the Nuragic civilization of Sardinia, a Bronze Age culture that flourished on the island in the western Mediterranean from about 1800 BCE to roughly 1100 BCE, with traditions persisting into the early Iron Age and in contact with Phoenician and Carthaginian traders before Roman conquest in 238 BCE.

Central to the Nuragic landscape are nuraghi, large dry-stone towers built from massive basalt blocks. Most are circular or polygonal with a truncated conical form; others are part of complex ensembles that include multiple towers connected by defensive walls and enclosed courtyards. The nuraghe is the characteristic symbol of Nuragic architecture.

Other monumental remains include giants’ tombs (tombe dei giganti), large collective burial chambers often built from oversized stones, and sacred wells (pozzi sacri), which are water cult structures with masonry wells and stepped access.

The Nuragic economy combined agriculture, pastoralism, animal husbandry, and metalworking, notably copper and tin. The people produced pottery, bronze figurines, and tools, and they engaged in long-distance exchange around the Western Mediterranean, as evidenced by imported goods found on Sardinia. Settlements varied from small villages to defended hill forts.

Today, the Nuragic civilization is best known for its monuments, which dot Sardinia’s landscape. The site Su Nuraxi di Barumini is a well-preserved example and is among UNESCO-listed sites recognizing the Nuragic culture.