Perched on the western slope of the Gennargentu, Desulo boasts ancient origins dating back to primordial ages. Several legends refer to the escape of some people from Bosa who, persecuted by the Goths, settled down in this area about 305 ACE. After mixing with the local people, they founded a village called “Exul”, with reference to the exile condition of its inhabitants, who had sought shelter into this ragged and inaccessible area. Yet, information about the local history is fragmentary, with traces in the “contaghi” of Bonarcado and in the documents ratifying the peace between the Arboreans and the Aragonese, in which representatives from Desulo are mentioned.The town then tracks along the events of the Island and becomes part of the Sardinian-Piedmontese Kingdom, and only during this historical period is Desulo carefully censused and described. We thus come to know of three villages nestled deep into groves of chestnut, walnut and cherry trees: Assuai, Issiaria and Ovolaccio, currently constituting the three town neighbourhoods. Surviving from this ancient past are the old dwellings in stone and adobe covered in wooden tiles, but most notably the ancient traditions. Like in the past, still nowadays the mountains represent for this fascinating region both the outpost and the hub of the economic and social life of its inhabitants.(Sheep) farming, agriculture, crafts, and local trade are still the major activities, although the rich naturalistic and socio-cultural heritage of the area provide for a source of initiatives tied to the tourist industry.
The countryside, the flavours of a lavish traditional cuisine, the evocativeness of the ancient neighbourhoods, coupled with the multicoloured beauty of the most precious male and female costumes are a source of great attraction. The many traditional fairs also are evocative. Of relevance, because of the important ethnographic remnants, is the Museum “Casa Montanaru”, homeplace to Antioco Casula, so-called “Montanaru”, the most authoritative poet in Sardinian language of the 1900s.