The Tomb of the Giants in the valley of Osono in Triei was restored in 1993, using and repositioning the exedra and other orthostats, sometimes deteriorated or broken, but still in situ. Regarding the discovery of the monument, Mario Sanges wrote: “a worker who was digging at the Nuraghe Bau Nuraxi, an avid hunter, told me one day that in the valley of Osono, on the edges of the cultivated fields, there was an enormous and intricately dense thicket of mastic and brambles with a neatly arranged row of huge granite slabs inside, from which wild boars regularly emerged during big game hunting trips. A quick and timely inspection allowed us to confirm the presence of a large tomb of giants, apparently in excellent condition, about which there was no prior information. The subsequent clearing and cleaning intervention thus allowed us to bring to light the entire tomb structure, thus starting the archaeological excavation and restoration work that lasted several years.” He also reported that “in the front part of the chamber, near the entrance, traces of disturbance of the original deposit were found, caused by unknown individuals… not tomb raiders, as one would say today, but treasure seekers.” This could be explained by the fact that “in popular tradition, this site is referred to as ‘s’ischisorgeddu’, meaning the hiding place of the treasure.” The archaeologist concluded his discussions, published in 2008 in the “Quaderni di Darwin,” observing that the monument, which presents two different construction phases, was built in both phases “during the Early Bronze Age and was used for funerary purposes only during the first phase. After the subsequent construction phase, the complex became a true tomb-sanctuary, where perhaps funerary rites were practiced in memory and honor of ancestors or deified heroes. This second use, in which incubatory rites (for healing the sick, for receiving advice during sleep, etc.) should also be hypothesized, lasted throughout the Bronze Age and thus throughout the entire Nuragic Civilization; then there was a slow abandonment and reuse, after a millennium in the Roman Age….”
The photos of the Tomb of the Giants of Osono are by Andrea Mura-Nuragando Sardegna and Lucia Corda. The image related to the restoration work of 1993 is taken from the aforementioned magazine “Quaderni di Darwin.”
