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In the area of Siurgus Donigala, a town of Trexenta in southern Sardinia, there are traces of frequentation dating back to the Recent and Final Neolithic, over a millennium before the Nuragic civilization.
Among the discoveries, there is an important megalithic settlement, made by stone circles of sandstone of medium and large size; in the area obsidian artifacts and ceramic fragments have been found. The site, related to the culture of Ozieri, may have served a religious function.
On Mount Turri there are the rests of a small temple dating back to the Neolithic period and used until the late Roman era. In the surrounding area combusted clay particles and animal bones have accumulated, probably from sacrifices and votive rituals.
During the pre-Nuragic period, human presence is also attested by the Domus de janas of Zraghi, near a source.
In the territory of Siurgus Donigala there are around 40 known nuraghe, the most important of which is Su Nuraxi, located in the center of the village. The ruins of the Nuragic village are located under the modern constructions. Archaeological excavations in 1983 showed the re-use of the nuraghe for funerary purpose during the Late Antiquity. Inside the main tower, the central keep, a Byzantine burial ground was found. This contained at least 15 bodies and many grave goods were found, including glass paste necklaces, bronze buckles, earrings and a silver coin from the Justinian era (552-565 AD).
The Arcei Nuraghe is considered one of the oldest due to its characteristics; nowadays it is possible to see only the central tower and a few traces of the village that was built around it, where people lived until the Punic era.
Located on the border with Gerrei there is the Nuragic complex of Mount Nuxi, with the Ega nuraghe and its village, inhabited until the Byzantine era, and the Erra nuraghe.
Siurgus was a flourishing center during the Roman era, when Sardinia became “the granary of Rome”. This is testified by the ruins of villages and necropolises from the Republican era to the High Empire. The most popular exhibit is a votive bronze pot dedicated to Aesculapius.
In the ‘30s, during the preparatory works to build the new cemetery, a Punic necropolis, with numerous tombs from Roman era superimposed upon it, was discovered.
