31a: The tomb of giants of Barrancu Mannu or “Sa Tuerredda”, in the territory of Santadi, presents the classic planimetric scheme of this type of monument: “apsidal tomb body, covered corridor and arched exedra. The tomb body, elongated, asymmetric and slightly tapered towards the terminal part, measures m 17.90 x m 10.38-6.15 in width. The external wall facing is made of large yellow-pink granite blocks, roughly shaped and topped with irregular rows of variously polyhedral stones of large size… The exedra, which is preserved to a maximum height of m 4.67, is made – at the base – of large blocks placed on edge, over which are laid rows of large stones, roughly shaped on the visible face… The entrance to the monument, which opens in the center of the exedra, is surmounted by a robust lintel on which rest 6 remaining rows of large stones… The tomb corridor, with a slightly trapezoidal plan, is constructed with large blocks that are little or not worked at all, connected to each other by slabs of rough stones. The covering of the room, intact, is made of large and thick slabs laid flat. Two deep holes opened at the terminal part of the corridor by clandestine excavators have highlighted a flat slab that can probably be attributed to the flooring. The tomb can be dated to the Middle Bronze Age, Recent Bronze Age. (Excerpts from “La sardegna verso l’unesco”).
The photos of the tomb of giants of Barrancu Mannu, in Santadi, are by Giovanni Sotgiu, Sergio Melis, and Marco Cocco.
