17 / 20 c: The tomb of giants of Aiodda is located in the Planu Is Ciaexius plateau, in Sarcidano, a region of southern-central Sardinia.
The burial, “which follows the classic layout of the tombs of giants, was discovered during agricultural work. The entrance, facing east, is preceded by a large semicircular exedra made of orthostatic limestone slabs, about 6 meters wide. At the center of the exedra are the remains of the broken arch-shaped stele, at the base of which there is a rectangular opening with wide side recesses.
The opening leads into the funerary cell, about 10 meters long, and is preceded by a narrow entrance corridor lined with orthostatic slabs. The walls of the cell are built with protruding stone courses, and the original covering had a pointed arch section. The plan resembles the “navetas” of the Balearic Islands. During the excavation, several menhir statues from the Copper Age were found, featuring typical symbolic motifs carved in relief: upside-down human figures, in “anchor-shaped” or “candelabra” patterns, equipped or not with a dagger. One of the menhir statues, particularly well-preserved, forms one of the orthostats of the short entrance corridor of the tomb.
The burial can be dated to the Middle Bronze-Early Bronze period. (Sardegna Cultura)
The photos of the tomb of giants of Aiodda, in Nurallao, are by Giovanni Sotgiu, Bibi Pinna, Nicola Castangia, Lucia Corda, and Francesca Cossu.
