Villanovafranca

The most important archaeological evidence in the territory of Villanovafranca, a town in Marmilla in the province of Sud Sardegna, almost all dates back to the Nuragic age, although the area has been inhabited since prehistoric times and subsequently also in Roman and medieval times.

Among the numerous nuraghi that dot the area (including Tuppedili, Perdu Atzeni and Paberi), the nuragic complex of Su Mulinu stands out.

The archaeological area consists of a majestic nuraghe, surrounded by a large wall, and a large village of huts. The Su Mulinu nuraghe is a complex building with an anomalous structure, which is the result of the superposition of several construction phases: the oldest structure, dated to the first phases of the Middle Bronze Age, consists of a protonuraghe, only partially visible today. The most recent phases overlap with this structure, characterized by the typical tholos roofs, dating back to the Late and Final Bronze Age. Since the most ancient phase, the monument has been enclosed in a rather peculiar wall.

But it is in the Iron Age phase (around 10th century BC) that the site holds the greatest surprise for us: in room E a large sandstone altar was erected reproducing a bastion of the nuraghe. It clearly demonstrates the transformation of the nuraghe into a place of worship. Evident traces testify that the two exposed faces of the altar were crowned with bronze objects.

The upper layers of the nuraghe have yielded late Punic and Roman-Republican finds, which testify how the site was subsequently reused in the Punic, Roman and even Medieval ages.