Giant's Tombs
Lu Brandali
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Located in the far north of Sardinia near Santa Teresa di Gallura, it is part of a large archaeological area. This also includes a nuraghe with the remains of a village and rock shelters prior to the Nuragic Age (2nd millennium B.C.), as well as the famous Tomb of the Giants.
This one, with a similar structure to Su Monte 'è S'Abe, has the shape of a bull's head, symbol of life and therefore placed to guard the burial grounds. The remains of around fifty tombs were found here, containing various everyday objects and giving us a lot of insights into how people lived at the time. For only 10€ you can visit the area and the museum where all the findings are kept.
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The Li Lolghi tombs of the giants are located in Arzachena in northern Sardinia in an area of high archaeological density. The style of this site is very ancient and is characterised by smooth stone slabs driven into the ground to mark the boundaries of the graves. These form the exedra, a semicircle, at the half of which lies the underground entrance to the tomb.
This door and the stone steles symbolise the boundary between the world of the living and that of the dead. Inhabited since 1800 B.C., it is situated on a hill from which one can admire the surrounding countryside, immersed in the archaic silence of the tombs. The ticket costs €4 and is a must-see.
Pascaredda Giant's Tomb
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The tomb of the giants of Pascaredda is located in the territory of Calangianus, in a cork oak forest, beneath Mount de Deu. The granite blocks that form the burial are arranged in regular rows, and the funeral corridor is rectangular, with a length of 12.5 meters and a width of 0.90 meters, at the same height. The assigned date for this tomb is the Middle/Late Bronze Age.
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Located near the Nuraghe la Prisgiona in Arzachena in northern Sardinia, it is an exceptional testimony of three civilisations that flourished on the island. First, the Monte Claro Culture (3rd millennium B.C.) that left a corridor-shaped dolmen.
Second, the Bonnanaro Culture (1700 B.C.) that left bronze tools. Third, the actual Nuragic Culture, that left an exedra used for funeral rites and the famous curtainsider stele (a good 4 metres high). This has remained intact, despite the fact that the two stones that make it up are not fixed to each other but just superimposed.
The €4 ticket also includes guided tours, which have to be booked in advance.
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Located near Olbia, in north-eastern Sardinia, this tomb of the giants seen from above shows a bull's head shape with horns. The bull is not accidental, it was in fact a sacred animal among the Nuragics because it was the bearer of life and energy. This was a good omen for the population that used Su Monte 'è S'Abe as a collective burial place.
Dating back to 1600 B.C., it stands in an area that was also inhabited in the Middle Ages, traces of which remain in the Pedres Castle. This stands on a hillock a little higher up, which can also be visited. And why not, you can end your visit in the nearby sea of Olbia.
