sa Ena 'e Thomes Giants' grave in Dorgali.

Interior of the sa Ena 'e Thomes tomb.

Giants' grave (Italian: Tomba dei giganti, Sardinian: Tumbas de sos gigantes) is the name given by local people and archaeologists to a type of Sardinian megalithic gallery grave built during the Bronze Age. They can be found in the whole Sardinia, and so far 321 are known. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 434 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) de: de:Gigantengrab Sa Ena e Thomes nahe de:Dorgali, de:Sardinien Source: Source: taken by SehLax on 27/03/2005 File history Legend: (cur) = this... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 434 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) de: de:Gigantengrab Sa Ena e Thomes nahe de:Dorgali, de:Sardinien Source: Source: taken by SehLax on 27/03/2005 File history Legend: (cur) = this... Country Italy Region Sardinia Province Province of Nuoro (NU) Mayor Elevation 400 m Area 225. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 548 pixelsFull resolution (2884 × 1977 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 548 pixelsFull resolution (2884 × 1977 pixel, file size: 2. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... Cagliari, the chief town. ... Megalithic tomb, Mane Braz, Brittany A megalith is a large stone which has been used to construct a structure or monument either alone or with other stones. ... A Gallery grave, also known as an Allée couverte tomb is a form of Megalithic chamber tomb where there is no divide between the burial chamber itself and the entrance passage. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ...

A stone cairn lies over the burial chamber itself. Some examples have a cup-shaped entrance similar to the Court Cairn tombs of Ireland. For the magazine see Cairn Magazine. ... The Court cairn is a variety of megalithic chamber tomb found in south west Scotland and central and northern Ireland. ...

Tomb of the Giant in Lanusei.

There are 2 general types of giant's tomb. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Lanusei is a town in Sardinia, co-capital of the Province of Ogliastra with Tortolì. Sardinia · Communes of the province of Ogliastra Category: ...

In the he 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, which is the largest (up to 4 m in height), and has a doorway cut through it. The sepulchres has a characteristic rectangular plan with apse. The burial chamber is usually 5 to 15 meters long and 1 to 2 meters high. The structures were originally covered by a mound resembling the shape of a turned down ship. Nearby the entrance was an obelisk (betile in Sardinian), which would symbolize the gods or the ancestors who watched over the dead. Ancient Egyptian funerary stele Suenos Stone in Forres Scotland A stele (or stela) is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerary or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living—inscribed, carved in relief (bas... A sepulcher, or sepulchre, is a type of tomb or burial chamber. ... This article is about an architectural feature; for the astronomical term see apsis. ... The Luxor obelisk in the Place de la Concorde in Paris For other uses, see Obelisk (disambiguation). ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

In the more primitive slab-type giant's 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 giant's tombs, the central slab is modified so as to be rounded on top, and have a simple design carved into the front surface (Dorgali, Goronna, Santu Bainzu, Coddu Vecchju).

The so-called "block type" is made of rectangular-cut blocks (Bidistili, Madau II, Seleni II, Iloi, Mura Cuata).

There is also a structure similar to a block-type giant's tomb on the island of Malta.

List of major tombs

• Su Mont'e s'Abe, near Olbia
• Sa Dom'è s'Orcu, nearQuartucciu
• Two 18th century BC tombs near Lanusei
• Aiodda, near Nurallao
• Coddu Vecchju and Li Lolghi, Arzachena
• Sa Dom´e S´Orku, Siddi
• Imbertighe, Borore
• Madau, Fonni
• Muraguada, Bauladu
• Osono, near Triei
• Tomb of San Cosimo, near Gonnosfanadiga
• Ena ´e Thomes, Dorgali
• Bainzu, Borore
• Sa Farch´e S´Artare, Seneghe

For Pontic Olbia, the Greek colony on the Black Sea coast, see Olbia, Ukraine. ... Country Italy Region Sardinia Province Province of Cagliari (CA) Mayor Elevation 14 m Area 27. ... // Events 1787 - 1784 BC -- Amorite conquests of Uruk and Isin 1786 BC -- Egypt: Queen Sobekneferu died. ... Lanusei is a town in Sardinia, co-capital of the Province of Ogliastra with Tortolì. Sardinia · Communes of the province of Ogliastra Category: ... Country Italy Region Sardinia Province Province of Cagliari (CA) Mayor Elevation 342 m Area 34. ... Arzachena is a town in the province of Olbia-Tempio, Sardinia, Italy. ... Not to be confused with the Hindu term Siddhi (though sometimes spelt in the same way). ... Borore is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Nuoro in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 110 km north of Cagliari and about 50 km west of Nuoro. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Bauladu is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Oristano in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 100 km northwest of Cagliari and about 15 km northeast of Oristano. ... Triei is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Ogliastra in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 100 km northeast of Cagliari and about 11 km north of Tortolì. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,148 and an area of 28. ... Gonnosfanadiga is a town and commune in the province of Medio Campidano, Sardinia, Italy. ... Country Italy Region Sardinia Province Province of Nuoro (NU) Mayor Elevation 400 m Area 225. ... Borore is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Nuoro in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 110 km north of Cagliari and about 50 km west of Nuoro. ... Seneghe is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Oristano in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 110 km northwest of Cagliari and about 20 km north of Oristano. ...

External links

• Tomb of the Giants in Sardinian archaeology (Italian)

See also

• Nuraghe