Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 1.djvu/57

 NÙRAGHS. 39 were immediately repeated from one hill top to another, until the whole country was ablaze with lights. If the enemy came within reach, arrows and every kind of missile were forthwith showered upon them ; if they tried to force an entrance, the opening was filled up by a huge stone block, kept in place by stout bars, or rather beams. When, through some accident, there had been no time to block the entrance, a couple of men sufficed, for a while Nuraghs are indicated by sign£ Scale from i:3o8.6*o Fig, 31. — La Giara, Reclus, Géographie Universelle, torn. 1. at least, to keep at bay the whole band. In double-storied nûraghs, when the ground floor was in the hands of the invaders, all means of resistance were not exhausted. Owing to the peculiar disposi- tion of the stairs having the first step some yards from the ground, as well as thick walls and lack of war-engines on the part of the enemy, the upper floor could be defended to the last, and was only reduced by famine. When supplied with bread and water, even the smallest nuraghs were able to hold out hours and days, thus