A nuraghe is a large conical tower that was built in the Bronze and Iron ages on the island of Sardinia. Over 7,000 nuraghi have been found on the island, but archaeologists believe there were likely more than 10,000. We went to visit Nuraghe Arrubiu, also called the "Red Giant" due to the red basalt used in the structure and the red lichen that grows on it.
This particular nuraghe is one of the largest discovered, including 5 towers and a large wall around the outside. It is believed that the center tower was the largest, reaching a height of 30 m. The purpose of nuraghi is still not entirely clear; some believe they were used as communal space, others believe that it was used as defense. However, it is known that every one of the thousands of nuraghe in Sardinia were in sight of at least one other, creating a large communication network between communities.
After a tour of the nuraghe, we went to the Festa di Santa Caterina, a local festival celebrating Saint Catherine. Small towns from around Orroli sent groups dressed in elaborate traditional dress to parade ahead of the statue, which was carried from one church to another for prayer.
Following the parade, we explored the town, had dinner, bought all sorts of sweets, danced, and searched for handmade souvenirs to bring home
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