Humans have been present in the plain of Tortolì-Arbatax with no interruption from the Neolithic Age will present times. This area, thanks to its favourable position near the sea, hence the possibility to farm, breed animals and fish, has been conducive to human settlement in all ages.

Proof of the Nuragic Age comes from several nuraghi, both simple and polylobate (nuraghi of Santa Giusta, S'Ortali 'e su Monte, Còrti Àccas, Còrrus de Trubùtzu, Turùddis, Nùrta, Nuraxèddu, Costa Aràngius, Monte Tèrli, Sèrras ’e Ladàmi, Bàccu Àrzula, Muxièddu, Su Zinnìbiru-Tèccu) and some tombs of giants (S'Ortali 'e su Monte, Pala Niedda), (fig. 1).

Fig. 1 - Map distributing the Nuragic Age archaeological sites in the territory of Tortolì (from Archeo System 1990 a, p. 74; reworked by M.G. Arru).

The Tortolì territory has an area with granite hills and a stretch of coastal plain. The archaeological surveys performed in the area have provided several elements enabling us to hypothesise that the populations inland bred animals whereas those in settlements closer to the sea farmed and fished and controlled any trading with other areas on the island or the Mediterranean.

In the archaeological area of S’ortali ‘e su Monte a nuraghe (fig. 2) and two tombs of giants (fig. 3) are evidence of a settlement where the inhabitants, farmers, exploited the fertile surrounding plain to grow cereals as is indicated by the 12 brick silos (fig. 4) built between the end of the Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age (about 1200-900 B.C.). They were like real barns where the cereals were stored not only for the needs of the community but probably also for external trade.

Fig. 2 - The nuraghe of S’ortali ‘e su Monte (photo by C. Nieddu.).

Fig. 3 - The tomb of giants of S’Ortali ‘e su Monte (photo by C. Nieddu).

Fig. 4 - The silos of the nuragic village of di S’Ortali ‘e su Monte (from Fadda 2012, p. 46, fig. 66).

In the village huts, archaeologists have found several grind stones, pounders and small grinders (made with river stones) used to work the wheat and fragments of large containers used to store cereals (fig. 5).

Fig. 5 - Hut in the nuragic village of S’Ortali ‘e su Monte with grindstones, pounders and small grinders (photo M.G. Arru).