Sorgono, Protonuraghe Talei

The nuraghe is located in a hilly area covered by dense vegetation, on a spike of granite rock, near the sanctuary of San Mauro.
The complex consists of a protonuraghe, a village and a tomb of giants. The protonuraghe, of the “corridor” type, has a vaguely ellipsoidal plan and is placed against a granite emergency. The wall work consists of large polygonal granite blocks. Two opposite entrances, located on the short sides, lead to a corridor that crosses the entire size of the building. The entrance facing N, arched but without an exhaust window, leads into the corridor that has - on the left - the stairwell that led to the terrace (there are 12 steps left); in the landing - after the eighth step - two opposing niches open with a partially collapsed vault. From the entrance facing S, also arched, the corridor - penetrating inside the structure - widens into a subelliptical chamber, now discovered but originally equipped with a projecting cover, in the shape of a 'donkey back' or 'naviform'.
Although the state of preservation is mediocre, the monument is of some importance, due to the contribution that investigations can make to the problem of the origin of the Nuragic civilization. Around the nuragic building, in fact, excavations have revealed several huts in the town, which have returned materials from the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age (facies “Sa Turricula”), while at the end of the same phase it is probably due to the abandonment of the site.
The tomb of giants, damaged in 1973 by illegal diggers, is located a few hundred meters from the nuraghe. Of the monument, already known to Taramelli, a rectangular section of the funeral corridor (8.10 x 0.90 m wide) can be clearly read. The wall work consists of medium-sized granite blocks regularized in the inner face. Of the roof of the tomb, remaining in situ, 6.30 m from the bottom, is a block of 1.20 m long, arranged flat.
The excavation has brought to light the outer apsidic retaining wall and some blocks of the exedra. The missing blocks were reused during the construction of the nearby SP Ortueri-Sorgono, while the curved stele is still visible on the outside of the sanctuary of San Mauro. The materials found during the stratigraphic excavation have a close analogy with those found in the nuraghe.

History of excavations
The site has been excavated several times, since 1981, by the archaeologist Maria Ausilia Fadda.

Bibliography
M.A. Fadda, “Prehistoric Discoveries and Excavations in Sardinia during 1981: Sorgono”, in Journal of Prehistoric Sciences, XXXVI, 1-2, 1981;
M.A. Fadda, “Nuraghe Talei-Sorgono”, in Cultural Heritage Week, 1975-1985:10 years of activity in the territory of the Province of Nuoro, Nuoro, Ministry for Cultural and Environmental Heritage, Archaeological Superintendence for the Provinces of Sassari and Nuoro, Nuoro Operations Office, 1996; M.A. Fadda, “Nuoro Operations Office (Sorgono) Gold). The Talei Nuraghe”, in Archaeology Bulletin, 19-21, 1993, pp. 165-168;
M.A. Fadda, “New elements dating the Ancient and Middle Bronze Age: the excavation of the Talei Nuraghe in Sorgono and the Tomb of Giants Sa Pattada di Macomer”, in Sardinian and Aegean chronology: towards the resolution of relative and absolute dating in the Mediterranean (Massachusetts, 17-19 March, 1995), edited by M.S. Balmuth-R.H. Tykot, Oxford, Oxbow, 1998, pp. 179-194.

How to get there
From the center of the town, continue on the SS 388 to the church of San Mauro; from here you proceed to a small climb on the side of the road, on the right, where the Talei Nuraghe is located. The tomb of giants is located 100 meters from the nuraghe.