From s.s.131 take the junction for
Barumini at km 40,900: you
reached the town km 19,9. From
Barumini follow the road for Tuili
for 1km, the nuragic complex can
be seen on the left hand side of
the road.
Tickets cost 4,20 Euro for adults;
3,10 Euro for visitors under 25.
The price includes a guided tour.
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The nuragic complex of BARUMINI, as it is found now with its impressive nuraghe, surrounded by a broad village is the result of an occupation of the site for almost 2000 years, from 1600 a.C. ca, until III century a.C., in the middle of the Roman age.
In the beginning the nuraghe complex was formed by five towers, the central one also called Mastio, and four side towers joint by straight walls with an internal yard equipped with a well from an active spring still active today. The towers were all built with two overlapped floors and the ceiling on the first floor still visible and in good condition, while the second floor only shows some of the walling except from the central tower, which still holds both floors.
The highest part of the towers where the terraces were, was finely built with smaller blocks from the ones used in the lower parts, and squared up with precision and then overlapped in different lines that end with big protruding shelves. These blocks are no longer in their original position, but were recovered in big quantities during the excavation of the nuraghe and now on displayed, partially rebuilt along the external walls of the archaeological site. A primitive barbican with three towers that partially surrounded the structure and then maybe integrated with a wooden fence.
This phase, during the Medium Bronze Age approximately, starting from 1600 b.C. to 1200 b.C. ended around this time, when serious structural damage occurred for reasons still mostly unknown, brought to a renovation on a large scale of the whole complex which completely changed its appearance.
The entire complex was dressed with a strong wall that basically doubled the width of the wall, the entrance was moved from the southern side to the western side and instead on round level like in origin, it was raised by several
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meters from the round, making access possible only by a wooden ladder.
The ancient barbican was then integrated bounding up the whole nuraghe, the wall was interpolated by towers that after the addiction of four new towers reached a total of seven. It was then that it reached its present impressive aspect.
This second phase ended between the Late Bronze Age and the Recent Bronze Age, when the whole area was abandoned for some time. A new occupation took place around lX century and a few hats were raised, which occupied not only the surrounding area but the whole area that includes the internal part of the barbican, often exploiting the remaining walls for new buildings.
During this period the nuraghe began its slow process of deterioration that will continue during the Iron Age until the Roman imperial Age, during which period it was used as a kind of quarry for building material, as shown by the presence of numerous hats of the village, partially built with blocks that so obviously came from the
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nuraghe and even in Roman times were used as a graveyard, as noticed by the presence of numerous graves with their wealth, found during excavation works inside the structure and especially in the internal yard that at that time was already filled in at quite a height.
The most interesting houses of the village are dated from the beginning of the Iron Age, IX, VIII and VII century. They are all placed in an irregular and complex position, all concentrated around the internal yard were various room open to; at times you can recognize the kitchen, with the oven still in good condition in some of them.
Among these living quarters , two in particular are very interesting as you can still find a circular area with a stone bench around the perimeter with a large stone basin probably used for domestic purposes related to the worshiping of the water. The conference hat is also interesting, maybe dated to the same period and around which is built a round bench, with small niches in the wall.
This site is included in the UNESCO world patrimony.
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