ARCHEOLOGY
The archaeology of Urzulei:
a trip to Sardinia
oldest
The mountains and plateaus surrounding Urzulei, in the heart of the Supramonte, hold an extraordinary archaeological heritage, testimony to a millennia-old history rooted in Sardinia's prehistory. Walking along paths and gorges, you can discover traces of ancient civilizations that inhabited these remote places, adapting to the rugged and wild landscape with ingenuity and harmony.
Nuragic villages and isolated nuraghes
In the Urzulei area, numerous Nuragic remains are found, stone structures dating back to the Bronze Age (15th–9th centuries BC) and representing one of the most powerful symbols of Sardinian culture. Isolated nuraghi, villages, and remains of huts testify to the strategic and cultural importance of these mountains: ideal places for defense, observation, and community life.
​
Mother of the Murdered Man
Of particular importance is the “Mother of the Murdered Man”: a Nuragic bronze statuette found in Urzulei, depicting a seated woman holding the body of her dead son. A symbol of maternal grief and possibly part of funerary or votive rituals, it represents a universal archetype rather than a real person.
Today it is preserved at the National Archaeological Museum of Cagliari and is considered one of the most moving works of Nuragic art.
The village of Tiscali – mystery in the sinkhole
Although it borders other territories, Tiscali is one of the most fascinating archaeological destinations accessible from Urzulei. This Nuragic village, built within a karst sinkhole, is unique: invisible from the outside, it was likely a safe haven for Nuragic and later communities. Today, it can be reached via spectacular hiking trails, combining history and nature in a unique experience.
Domus de Janas – the “fairy houses”
The area also features Domus de Janas, underground tombs carved into the rock, dating back to the Neolithic period. These ancient burials, often decorated and nestled in evocative natural settings, reveal the profound spirituality of the first communities that inhabited Sardinia and their relationship with the land.
Shepherds, sheepfolds and traditional architecture
The archaeology of Urzulei is not limited to the Nuragic era: the mountains also preserve traces of traditional pastoral life, such as the stone and juniper sheepfolds (cuiles), used by shepherds for centuries. These structures, perfectly integrated into the landscape, are living testimony to ancient knowledge and represent a bridge between past and present.
An open-air museum
Thanks to its remote location and the natural preservation of the land, the Urzulei area can be considered a true open-air archaeological museum, where history is not locked in display cases but is experienced along the paths, among rocks, woods, and millennia-old silence.
Find out more about Urzulei, its territory, its culture
and its traditions.