The history of nuraghe Diana begins in the Nuragic age; the construction period cannot be defined more precisely.

The parts of the fortified core — a main tower and two secondary towers — were built at the same time.

The nuraghe was later used in Roman times.

The last traces of frequentation date to the 1930s and 1940s, when it was incorporated into a military post.

THE FORTIFIED CORE

The heart of the site is the three-lobed nuraghe, comprising the keep and two secondary towers linked by a curved bastion. It is built with large granite blocks and today reaches 15 metres in height.

At the centre is a courtyard giving access to the three towers; the entrance opens to the south-east.

The builders used a large rock outcrop as a foundation: floor levels adapted to the rock, which is why one secondary tower’s floor is noticeably higher than the courtyard.

THE VILLAGE

Along the north-western side of the nuraghe developed the village of circular huts, among which a paved hut stands out.

THE NURAGHE AND THE TERRITORY

Nuraghe Diana stands on the Is Mortorius promontory and dominates the Gulf of Angels and the first stretch of the south-eastern coast linking Cagliari to Villasimius.

Together with nearby nuraghi on coastal heights, it was part of a defensive belt around the Gulf of Cagliari: the nuraghi of the system were in visual contact with one another.

FREQUENTATION AND REUSE

The site continued to be frequented after the Nuragic age: the most substantial traces concern the Roman age and then the 20th century.

In 1939 the “Carlo Faldi” coastal battery was built and the nuraghe was incorporated as an observation post. Reuse partly altered the monument but also helped preserve some sectors.

The site was reused as a military post: the 1939 “Carlo Faldi” coastal battery and the lookout turret are still visible.

Enrico Atzeni began archaeological studies in the 1950s.

Later restorations were needed to make the rooms legible; over time they had also been subject to unauthorised digging.

Il Nuraghe Diana, master document of the Sardegna Nuragica project.

Gianfranca Salis, “Nuraghe Diana - Quartu Sant’Elena”, in Quaderni. Rivista di Archeologia, 31, 2020.

IDESE, “Nuraghe Diana”.

Nuraghe Diana, “Il nuraghe Diana” and “Tra storia e leggenda”.

SardegnaCultura.

In historical cartography the nuraghe is called “Nuraghe Jana”. According to one interpretation, “Jana” stands for “janna”, meaning “door” in Sardinian, referring to its position facing the sea.

According to a legend, the pirate Mugahid hid a treasure near the nuraghe and could not return to retrieve it; the legend is said to have encouraged unauthorised digging.