The history of the Genna Maria complex, from its origins to its abandonment, unfolds in several phases.

Around the 15th century BC the first nucleus of the nuraghe Genna Maria was created.

In the 11th–10th centuries BC, the nuraghe was abandoned.

Between the 10th and 9th centuries BC, a village of huts arose on the ruins of the nuraghe.

In 800 BC, a violent fire destroyed the huts.

Later periods. In Punic times, the nuraghe was again frequented as a place of worship. Cult activity continued until the 4th century AD.

THE FORTIFIED CORE

The heart of the complex is the four-lobed nuraghe, comprising a main tower and three secondary towers connected by strong curtain walls.

The nuraghe is surrounded by an outer wall, called antemurale. Six corner towers are arranged on the antemurale. Besides strengthening the defence of the settlement, the wall was the control point for access to the nuraghe.

THE VILLAGE

In the space enclosed between the outer wall and the nuraghe developed the inhabited village. The huts are arranged around central courtyards giving access to the various rooms.

MATERIALS

The nuraghe is built mainly with blocks of calcareous marl extracted from the hill.

The lintels and other structural elements are instead in basalt, the dark volcanic stone from the nearby Siddi plateau.

The alternation of calcareous marl and basalt creates a chromatic contrast still visible today in the structures of the site.

HISTORY AND USES

From the village courtyards one reached storerooms, kitchens, workshops and rooms for storing supplies, as documented by numerous finds of kitchen pottery, large containers, hearths and stone basins.

In the village, besides the tools used by the inhabitants, carbonised remains of wheat, barley and legumes were found, together with grape pips from cultivated vines.

RELATIONS AND EXCHANGES

The strategic position of Genna Maria favoured relations with other territories of the island and the Mediterranean over the centuries, as shown by numerous marine shells of the genus Cardium from the western coasts of the island.

DOMESTIC AND CULT SPACES

Over the centuries, the village dwellings were modified. Basins, stone tanks and hearths appear: elements that must have been used for ritual activities in the houses.

FROM NURAGHE TO PLACE OF WORSHIP

After the protohistoric age in which Nuragic civilisation developed and flourished, the nuraghe Genna Maria was used again with a new function, as a place of worship. Inside the main tower, 650 lamps and coin offerings were found.

The modern rediscovery of Genna Maria is linked to Giovanni Pusceddu, a primary school teacher and expert on the territory of the Marmilla. In the 1960s, Pusceddu noticed irregular wheat growth on the hilltop. The anomaly indicated the presence of buried walls. His observations and aerial photographs convinced the superintendent Ferruccio Barreca to start excavations. In 1969 the excavations were entrusted to Enrico Atzeni.

The research led in 1982 to the creation of the Museo Archeologico Genna Maria. The museum was initially created to preserve finds from the nuraghe excavations. It was the first civic archaeological museum established in Sardinia.

Genna Maria - Villanovaforru_Master.docx, Master document of the Sardegna Nuragica project.

Giacomo Paglietti, “Genna Maria. Porta d’accesso a suggestivi paesaggi e culture antiche”, Antas.

Parco e Museo Archeologico Genna Maria, “Parco”: https://www.gennamaria.it/index.php?pagina=parco

SardegnaCultura, “Villanovaforru, complesso di Genna Maria”

SardegnaTurismo, “Nuraghe e museo Genna Maria”

IDESE, “Genna Maria Archaeological Site”

The name Genna Maria is traced to “Genn’e Mari”, which in Sardinian means “gate towards the sea”. The name refers to the hilltop position of the site, from which the view reaches the western Sardinian coast. This gate towards the sea allowed the inhabitants to control the surrounding territory and connections with the western coast for centuries.