# Giants' grave

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Sardinian megalithic gallery grave by the Nuragic civilization

For other uses, see [Giant's Grave (disambiguation)](/source/Giant's_Grave_(disambiguation)).

Aerial view of the Giant's grave of Sa Domu 'e S'Orcu in [Siddi](/source/Siddi%2C_Sardinia).

**Giants' grave** ([Italian](/source/Italian_language): *tomba dei giganti*; [Sardinian](/source/Sardinian_language): *tumba de zigantes* or *gigantis*) is the name given by [local people](/source/Sardinians) and [archaeologists](/source/Archaeologist) to a type of [Sardinian](/source/Sardinia) [megalithic](/source/Megalithic) [gallery grave](/source/Gallery_grave) built during the [Bronze Age](/source/Bronze_Age) by the [Nuragic civilization](/source/Nuragic_civilization). They were collective tombs and can be found throughout [Sardinia](/source/Sardinia), with 800 being discovered there.[1]

A stone [cairn](/source/Cairn) lies over the burial chambers, with some examples having a cup-shaped entrance similar to the [court cairn](/source/Court_cairn) tombs of [Ireland](/source/Ireland).

## Types

Coddu Vecchju - [Arzachena](/source/Arzachena)

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](/source/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).

Graphic reconstruction

The [sepulchres](/source/Sepulchre) have a characteristic rectangular plan with an [apse](/source/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](/source/Obelisk) (*betile* in [Sardinian](/source/Sardinian_language)) 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](/source/Malta), in the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom)[2] and in [Menorca](/source/Menorca) ([naveta](/source/Naveta)).[3]

Geographical distribution of the Giant tombs in Sardinia

## List of major tombs

- *[Su Mont'e s'Abe](/source/Giants'_grave_of_Su_Mont'e_s'Abe)*, near [Olbia](/source/Olbia)

- *[Sa Dom'è s'Orcu](/source/Giants'_grave_of_Sa_Dom'%C3%A8_s'Orcu_(Quartucciu))*, near [Quartucciu](/source/Quartucciu)

- Two 18th-century BC tombs near [Lanusei](/source/Lanusei)

- *Aiodda*, near [Nurallao](/source/Nurallao)

- *[Coddu Vecchiu](/source/Giants'_grave_of_Coddu_Vecchiu)* and *[Li Lolghi](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Giants%27_grave_of_Li_Lolghi&action=edit&redlink=1)*, [Arzachena](/source/Arzachena)

- *[Sa Dom'è s'Orcu](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Giants%27_grave_of_Sa_Dom%27%C3%A8_s%27Orcu_(Siddi)&action=edit&redlink=1)*, [Siddi](/source/Siddi%2C_Sardinia)

- Imbertighe, [Borore](/source/Borore)

- Madau, [Fonni](/source/Fonni)

- Muraguada, [Bauladu](/source/Bauladu)

- Osono, near [Triei](/source/Triei)

- Tomb of San Cosimo, near [Gonnosfanadiga](/source/Gonnosfanadiga)

- *[S'Ena'e Thomes](/source/Giants'_grave_of_S'Ena'e_Thomes)*, [Dorgali](/source/Dorgali)

- Bainzu, [Borore](/source/Borore)

- *Sa Farch'e S'Artare*, [Seneghe](/source/Seneghe)

## See also

- [Nuraghe](/source/Nuraghe)

- [Naveta](/source/Naveta)

## Image gallery

		- Giant's grave of S'Arena, [Urzulei](/source/Urzulei)

		- Giant's grave of Pascaredda, [Calangianus](/source/Calangianus)

		- [Giant's grave of Is Concias](/source/Giants'_grave_of_Sa_Dom'%C3%A8_s'Orcu_(Quartucciu)), [Quartucciu](/source/Quartucciu)

		- Giant's grave of Li Lolghi, Arzachena

		- Giant's grave of Madau, [Fonni](/source/Fonni)

		- Giant's grave of Barrancu Mannu, [Santadi](/source/Santadi)

		- Giant's grave of Lu Brandali, [Santa Teresa Gallura](/source/Santa_Teresa_Gallura)

		- Iloi

		- Iloi 2

		- Giant's grave of San Cosimo, [Gonnosfanadiga](/source/Gonnosfanadiga)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Atzeni.I_1-0)** [Aspetti e problematiche del rituale funarario di età nuragica](https://www.academia.edu/2572124/ASPETTI_E_PROBLEMATICHE_DEL_RITUALE_FUNERARIO_DI_ETA_NURAGICA)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Giant's Graves](http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/scotland/arran/ancient-sites/giants-graves.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Giovanni Lilliu, La civiltà nuragica, Sassari 1982 p.54

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Giants graves](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Giants_graves).

- [Giants' Tomb in Sardinian archaeology](http://www.archeologiasarda.com/tombe_dei_giganti.asp) (in Italian)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Giants' grave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giants'_grave) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giants'_grave?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.