Giants' Tombs, guardians of Eternity

Giants' Tombs, guardians of Eternity

A deep dive into the Nuragic age, uncovering collective burials suspended between history and legenda mysterious communal spirituality

una misteriosa spiritualità comunitaria

Silent and solemn, ancient and somehow eternal—these monuments, alongside nuraghi, temples, and sacred wells, are the most powerful symbols of a civilization that continues to captivate and puzzle us millennia later. Giants' Tombs are not ‘just’ burial places: they are enigmatic structures built between the Early and Late Bronze Age (1800–1000 BCE) by the Nuragic peoples, who likely used them not only to lay their dead to rest but also to celebrate rituals and ceremonies. What’s certain is that these sites guard secrets still beyond the full understanding of archaeologists and scholars around the world.

What sets the Giants' Tombs apart is their monumental form: large stone slabs, arranged in a semicircle, either standing upright or laid in rows. According to various theories, they may represent the horns of a bull or the legs of a woman giving birth—both symbols of fertility, (re)birth, and the cycle of life. Often, a sculpted central stele stands at the center, once framing the entrance to the tomb. Inside, the collective burials speak of communities united in ancestor worship and a deeply sacred vision of the passage to the afterlife.

But why the name 'Giants'? Legend has it that these imposing constructions were resting places for men of enormous stature, beings of supernatural strength. Myth and reality intertwine, adding to the sense of wonder when visiting these ancient places. Despite decades of research, many questions remain unanswered: What was the true meaning of the central stele? What ceremonies accompanied the burials? What mysterious rites were performed in the shadow of these ancient stones?

You won’t have to look far to find them: with around 800 scattered across the island, they offer a path into the depths of Sardinia’s soul, proud guardian of the secrets of a people who dared to challenge time.

Sa Fraigada – Santadi

Half-hidden in the Mediterranean scrub, this tomb lies at the end of a scenic trekking path and is surrounded by remnants of a pre-Nuragic settlement. Its granite blocks, neatly arranged in rows, form a tomb with a wide 15-meter exedra and evoke shadowy legends. In this land of Carignano wine and the Mauritanian Wedding, tales tell of healing powers, mystical visions for those who step inside—and perhaps even hidden treasures…

Is Concias – Quartucciu

Perhaps the best-preserved Giants' Tomb in southern Sardinia. Nestled in the nearby Sette Fratelli Park, and not far from a picturesque waterfall, the tomb is surrounded by betyls and stone circles—signs of ancient rituals and offerings. Even today, the site maintains its mystical aura, attracting moonlit gatherings and performances. Still, its beautifully crafted structure and natural surroundings make it worth visiting any time.

Tomb of Giants Is Concias

Just 25 km from Cagliari, in southern Sardinia, Sette Fratelli park is home to the island’s best preserved Nuragic tombs

Sa Domu ‘e S’Orcu – Siddi

The 'ogre's house' on the Giara di Siddi, in the heart of Marmilla, stands out for the sheer size of its basalt blocks. Everything here is grand: the lintel, entrance, exedra, and burial chamber. According to some, it hosted up to 300 burials over time. No human remains have been found, but countless artifacts help piece together its story: built between the 16th and 14th centuries BCE, it was reused for centuries.

Sa Dom'e s'Orku

It is one of the best-preserved Nuragic monuments, a Tomb of Giants overlooking the Giara di Siddi, in Marmilla, in southern Sardinia, 60...

Osono – Triei

A vast exedra nearly 20 meters wide, made of 22 large granite orthostats, marks one of the most fascinating Nuragic sites in Ogliastra. From its valley setting near Triei, you can see the Supramonte di Baunei and even the distant Arbatax coast. Here, the Osono tomb feels perfectly woven into the landscape—an eternal symbol of harmony between humanity and nature.

S’Ena e Thomes – Dorgali

By many accounts, the most important Nuragic tomb in Sardinia. Its nearly four-meter-tall stele, expertly carved from granite, commands attention. The burial corridor is also almost entirely intact—rare for a Middle Bronze Age monument. Though located in Dorgali, it lies not near the sea but in a valley surrounded by other Nuragic remains. Its unusual south-facing orientation may hold religious or astronomical meaning.

S'Ena e Thomes

On a green plain in the Nuoro area, in the central-eastern part of Sardinia, one of the most evocative and well-preserved monuments from...

Li Lolghi – Arzachena

This gallery tomb, later expanded into a full Giants' Tomb, likely to enhance its visibility and prestige, is crowned by a massive stele atop a hill surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation. Nearby lie other tombs—Neolithic ones, dating back two thousand years earlier. Amid granite landscapes, Vermentino vineyards, and postcard-perfect beaches, Gallura also offers evocative journeys through time.