Giants' grave

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Sardinian megalithic gallery grave by the Nuragic civilization

title: "Giants' grave" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["buildings-and-structures-in-sardinia", "archaeology-of-sardinia", "archaeology-of-death", "burials-in-sardinia", "burial-monuments-and-structures", "megalithic-monuments-in-italy", "prehistoric-sites-in-italy", "tourist-attractions-in-sardinia", "archaeological-sites-in-sardinia"] description: "Sardinian megalithic gallery grave by the Nuragic civilization" topic_path: "history" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giants'_grave" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Sardinian megalithic gallery grave by the Nuragic civilization ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Foto_aerea_della_tomba_Tomba_dei_Giganti_"Sa_Domu_'e_S'Orku2_in_territorio_di_Siddi._La_tomba_risale_al_periodo_nuragico.jpg" caption="Siddi]]."] ::

Giants' grave (; or gigantis) is the name given by local people and archaeologists to a type of Sardinian megalithic gallery grave built during the Bronze Age by the Nuragic civilization. They were collective tombs and can be found throughout Sardinia, with 800 being discovered there.

A stone cairn lies over the burial chambers, with some examples having a cup-shaped entrance similar to the court cairn tombs of Ireland.

Types

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Giants'grave_Coddu_Vecchiu(Sardegna).jpg" caption="Coddu Vecchju - [[Arzachena"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/EB1911_Sardinia_Fig_4.png" caption="Plan and sections"] ::

There are two general types of giants' tomb. In the so-called "slab type", uncut slabs are buried on end in the ground, and are arranged side-by-side. There is usually a central stele, which is the largest slab (up to 4 m in height) and has a doorway cut through it.

In the more primitive slab-type giants tombs, the central slab is unmodified aside from the entrance that is cut through it at the base, or else there is a crude dolmen-like arrangement of 3 uncut rocks to form the entrance (Osono, Sortali, Lolghi, Pescaredda). In more advanced slab-type giants tombs, the central slab is modified so as to be rounded on top, and has a simple design carved into the front surface (Dorgali, Goronna, Santu Bainzu, Coddu Vecchju).

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Nuraghe_Palmavera_(Alghero)_40.jpg" caption="Graphic reconstruction"] ::

The sepulchres have a characteristic rectangular plan with an apse. The burial chamber is usually 5 to 15 metres long and 1 to 2 metres high. The structures were originally covered by a mound resembling the shape of an overturned ship. Near the entrance an obelisk (betile in Sardinian) is usually found, which symbolizes the regenerative cycle of rebirth after death.

The so-called "block type" tombs are made of rectangular-cut blocks (Bidistili, Madau II, Seleni II, Iloi, Mura Cuata).

There are also structures similar to the block-type giants tombs on the island of Malta, in the United Kingdom and in Menorca (naveta). ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Sardegna_mappa_tombe_dei_giganti.svg" caption="Geographical distribution of the Giant tombs in Sardinia"] ::

List of major tombs

Image gallery

File:La_protome_taurina.jpg|Giant's grave of S'Arena, Urzulei File:Calangianus_-Tomba_dei_giganti_di_Pascaredda(41).JPG|Giant's grave of Pascaredda, Calangianus File:Tomba_dei_Giganti_Is_Concias.jpg|Giant's grave of Is Concias, Quartucciu File:Li Lolghi 11.JPG|Giant's grave of Li Lolghi, Arzachena File:Madau.JPG|Giant's grave of Madau, Fonni File:Tomba dei Giganti Barrancu Mannu.jpg|Giant's grave of Barrancu Mannu, Santadi File:Complesso nuragico.JPG|Giant's grave of Lu Brandali, Santa Teresa Gallura File:Tomba dei Giganti Iloi 02 B.jpg|Iloi File:Tomba dei Giganti Iloi 02 - Camera.jpg|Iloi 2 File:Tomba giganti San Cosimo.jpg|Giant's grave of San Cosimo, Gonnosfanadiga

References

References

  1. [https://www.academia.edu/2572124/ASPETTI_E_PROBLEMATICHE_DEL_RITUALE_FUNERARIO_DI_ETA_NURAGICA Aspetti e problematiche del rituale funarario di età nuragica]
  2. [http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/scotland/arran/ancient-sites/giants-graves.html Giant's Graves]
  3. Giovanni Lilliu, La civiltà nuragica, Sassari 1982 p.54

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buildings-and-structures-in-sardiniaarchaeology-of-sardiniaarchaeology-of-deathburials-in-sardiniaburial-monuments-and-structuresmegalithic-monuments-in-italyprehistoric-sites-in-italytourist-attractions-in-sardiniaarchaeological-sites-in-sardinia