Insight Guides Sardinia by Insight Guides

Author:Insight Guides
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Travel, Sardinia
Publisher: Apa Publications
Published: 2018-09-02T16:00:00+00:00

Giants’ tomb at Arzachena.

Sylvaine Poitau/Apa Publications

The steep cliffs surrounding Arzachena 1 [map] lend the little town the appearance of a village in the Dolomites rather than one on a Mediterranean island. However, the rapid development of the Costa Smeralda over the past decade has brought economic benefits and considerable change to the town and neighbouring regions. In the vicinity are many interesting prehistoric settlements.

Giants’ Tombs

Built in the Bronze Age, there are 321 tombe di giganti (giants’ tombs, namely megalithic gallery graves) in Sardinia, all of which are aligned south to southeast to ensure their residents would catch the rising sun which symbolised rebirth. Whilst many have the appearance of large cairns, flat stone slabs positioned vertically form a semicircle demarcating the ceremonial and sacrificial arena. The best examples still have their stela: the large slab, up to 4 metres (13ft) high, which commonly has a semicircular doorway cut into it. These stelae were adorned with carvings: Lu Coddu Vecchju has the most ornate carvings. The inside chamber, which lies north to northwest to catch the setting sun, is a square or rectangular burial unit.

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