Cheremule and the Meilogu Region
Overview of Cheremule
Cheremule (Cherèmule in Sardinian) is a small hillside village situated between the Logudoro and
Meilogu plateaus, surrounded by the lush Su Tippiri oak forest (tippiri meaning rosemary in local
Punic-derived parlance). The economy is centered on agriculture, pastoralism, and the extraction
of cheremulite, a local volcanic pumice-like stone used as an insulating and draining agent.
Origins & History:
Documented since 1341 as Chelemole, the village developed during the
Middle Ages under the Giudicato of Logudoro (Cabu Abbas curatoria), later passing to the Doria
family, the Marquisate of Montemaggiore, and the Manca family (Dukes of Asinara) until feudal
abolition in 1839.
The “Man of Nur” Controversy: Cheremule gained international attention following the discovery
of a small bone fragment in the Nurighe Cave, initially announced as the remains of a Lower
Paleolithic hominid (the “Man of Nur”) dating back 300,000 years. Subsequent archaeogenetic and
morphological analyses published in 2011 clarified that the bone fragment belonged not to a
hominid or primate, but to a large bird of prey from the accipitrid (vulture) family.
Key Sites & Cultural Highlights:
• Parish Church of San Gabriele Arcangelo: A 16th-century church built in Catalan-Gothic
style featuring a single nave, lateral chapels, and a Baroque wooden altar.
• Museddu and Tennero Necropolises (Petroglyph Park): A rich complex of Eneolithic
hypogea containing numerous rock-cut domus de janas. Tennero’s Branca Tomb features
rare 3rd-millennium BC anthropomorphic petroglyphs, while Museddu’s Tomb 15 (Sa
Presone) was repurposed in late Roman times as a wine-pressing facility.
• Magiore Nuraghe: A prominent tholos-vaulted nuraghe perched on a rocky promontory,
restored using its original fallen masonry.