“The nuraghe ‘S’Ulimu’ (Ulassai), which majestically rises towards the sky with its powerful tower, indifferent to the passage of time that strikes upon it, stands in the plain of ‘Genna ‘e Pauli’, a locality rich in streams and springs… The monument was built with large blocks of limestone from the surrounding area… on site, the architrave is visible, measuring almost 2.50 meters in length… To the east of the nuraghe, the remains of a village can be seen, composed of circular-shaped huts scattered among the vegetation of the surrounding area…”
Reading this passage from the booklet “Siti archeologici d’Ogliastra”, edited by archaeologist Caterina Nieddu, and comparing it with the attached photos, one is particularly struck by the size of the architrave, which should weigh between 50 and 60 quintals. The subsequent questions are necessary and concern, in general, most of the nuragic structures: how did our ancestors transport and position this enormous monolith, and why did they choose one of this size, complicating their lives? If one day we manage to discover what functions the nuraghi served, perhaps the question would find the hoped-for solution.
The photos of the nuraghe S’Ulimu are by Gianni Sirigu, Andrea Mura-Nuragando Sardegna, and Marco Cocco.”
