Nuraghe Arrubiu di Orroli

The nuraghe Arrubiu rises on a basaltic plateau in the Sarcidano plain, dominating the Flumendosa river. It was called %u201Cthe red giant%u201D because is the biggest nuraghe of the island and is characterised by the presence of red lichens. It is also the only nuraghe with pentalobed bastion, five towers built around a central tower. The general plan is very complex for the presence, besides the central tower and the bastion, of a barbican with seven towers which encloses some courtyards, and an outer wall with five towers. The village with many round huts is all around.

The central tower, about 15m high, keeps a perfectly preserved tholos chamber (11m high). In one of the courtyards the archaeologists found the remains of a rainwater drainage canal and a well; in another courtyard they found a big hut, maybe the so-called %u2018meeting hut%u2019.

The nuraghe Arrubiu, which dates back to the 14th century BC, was abandoned in the 10th- 8th century BC because of the destruction of the upper part of the bastion. During the Roman age, from the 2nd century BC to the 5th century AD, two %u201Coenological laboratories%u201D were built on the top of the rubble, with stone artefacts used to press grapes.

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