Sulcis (Maurreddia or Meurreddia in Sardinian language) is a subregion of Sardinia, Italy, in the Province of South Sardinia. Languages spoken include Italian, Sardinian (Campidanesu) and Ligurian (Tabarchino). Geographical extension Its municipalities are: Calasetta, Carbonia, Carloforte, Giba, Gonnesa, Masainas, Narcao, Nuxis, Perdaxius, Piscinas, Portoscuso, San Giovanni Suergiu, Santadi, Sant'Anna Arresi, Sant'Antioco, Tratalias, Villaperuccio, Teulada. Part of the region are also the islands of San Pietro and Sant'Antioco. Today the term "Lower Sulcis" is used to indicate the municipalities that belonged to the old Curatoria of Sulcis (without the Cixerri valley) and, sometimes, it is erroneously attributed to the towns of Pula, Villa San Pietro, Sarroch and Domus de Maria, who never belonged to the territory of ancient Sulci but rather to that of Nora, never belonged to the diocese of Sulci but always to that of Cagliari and, in the Middle Ages, belonged exclusively to the Curatoria of Nuras of the Giudicato of Cagliari. History The oldest traces of human presence in the Sulcis date back to the Mesolithic (9000 BC). From the second half of the fourth millennium BC, in the late Neolithic, the tombs took on the appearance of Domus de Janas, subterranean structures obtained by digging the rock sometimes gathered in vast necropolis as in the case of Montessu. To the Eneolithic belong the cultures of Monte Claro and of the Bell Beaker which were widely spread in the Sulcis. In the early centuries of the second millennium BC in Sardinia developed the Bonnanaro culture, linked to the previous culture of the bell-shaped vessel to which were added Polada influences; Sulcis is one of the Sardinian territories in which this culture is most strongly represented. In the Middle Bronze Age also in the Sulcis spread the Nuragic civilization resulting in the construction of dozens of nuraghi (many of which of the complex typology as the Nuraghe Sirai or the Nuraghe Meurra), villages, holy wells and giant tombs. The occurrence of nuraghi in the region seems to strongly be related to elevated outcrops giving the advantage of a raised position and stable foundations. Sulcis is named after the ancient Phoenician (and then Punic and Roman) city of Sulci (Solki), near the present-day Sant'Antioco. In the Middle Ages the Sulcis was part of a Curatoria of the giudicato of Cagliari which included the entire south-western part of Sardinia. From 1258 to 1355, after the fall of the giudicato, it