Nuraghe Melas

Nuraghe Melas, also called Fumiu, is a complex nuraghe in the municipality of Guspini in Sardinia’s Medio Campidano. It stands on a hill of just under 100 metres, surrounded by Mediterranean scrub. The site is about 2 km in a straight line from Saurecci and about 7 km from the inhabited centre. It can be seen from the ss 126 road between Guspini and San Nicolò d'Arcidano.

The monument consists of several nuraghi of varying sizes. Its entrances include an opening facing the sirocco-levante and another, 2 metres high, that appears above ground like a window. A gallery opens in the wall of the second entrance and leads to upper levels or a terrace. Regular, carefully built stairways are present, along with niches in the main chamber measuring 1.60 metres deep and 2.30 metres wide.

Basalt blocks occur through most of the structure, especially in the lintel of the main entrance. Large stones, nearly perpendicular walls, and the use of cement and clay are distinctive features described by Vittorio Angius. The upper chamber has been completely destroyed, while dense Mediterranean vegetation now makes the structure difficult to interpret. Its position provides broad views over the Campidano plain, particularly northward toward Monte Arci.

Nuraghe Melas is dated by typological estimate to 1900 BCE to 730 BCE. Monuments of this kind in Sardinia are usually truncated conical towers with a tholos-like internal vault; more than 7,000 have been found, and archaeologists believe there were originally more than 10,000. Nearby prehistoric sites include Uraddili, the menhir Genna Prunas, Pozzo sacro Sa Mitza de Nieddinu, Domus de janas di Bruncu Maddeus, and Bruncu 'e s'Orcu.

Nuraghe Melas is a nuraghe in Guspini, Italy. A typological estimate: 1900 BCE to 730 BCE. No English Wikipedia article exists for it; the full text below is the Italian article "Nuraghe Melas", shown in the original language.