Giant Tombs of Iloi
The two giant tombs of Iloi are not far from the Nuraghe Iloi and the Zona Archeologica above Lake Omodeo , near Sedilo in the province of Oristano in Sardinia , about 10 m apart from each other and facing south.
The giant tombs , known in Sardu as “Tumbas de los zigantes” and in Italian (plur.) “Tombe dei Giganti”, were built from blocks of local basalt . Giant tombs are the largest prenuraghic cult complexes in Sardinia and are among the latest megalithic complexes in Europe . The 321 known giant tombs are monuments of the Bronze Age Bonnanaro culture (2,200–1,600 BC), which is a precursor to the Nuragic culture .
Type sequence
Structurally, giant tombs appear in two variants. The systems with portal steles and exedra are of the older type. In later systems, the exedra consists - instead of monolithic steles - of a rectangular façade, significantly raised in the middle, made of processed and layered ( Italian tipo dolmenico - dolmen type) stone blocks. Since the stones of the exedra in grave 1 are missing, it is unclear to which type the complex belongs. Grave 2 is a newer type (with a square facade).
description
Grave 1 is in fair condition. The approximately 9 m long and 1.4 m wide chamber and part of the paved exedra can be seen . The semicircular apse is made of dry stone .
Grave 2 is in better condition. However, most of the basic elements have been preserved. It was excavated between 1987 and 1990. The chamber, the floor of which is completely clad, measures 4.70 × 0.80 m. The neatly smoothed side walls consist of eight stones. The now outwardly inclined exedra made of perfectly placed rows of blocks has a maximum width of about 11.6 m. In the center there is a larger, split plate in which the access opening is cut out.
The presence of other blocks, including friezes, in the area of the apse suggests the existence of a third tomb.
The Iloi Nuraghe and the Domus de Janas of the Ispiluncas necropolis are about 300 m away .
See also
literature
- Jürgen E. Walkowitz: The megalithic syndrome. European cult sites of the Stone Age (= contributions to the prehistory and early history of Central Europe. Vol. 36). Beier & Beran, Langenweißbach 2003, ISBN 3-930036-70-3 .
Web links
- Description (Italian) and picture
- photos
Individual evidence
Coordinates: 40 ° 9 ′ 34 ″ N , 8 ° 53 ′ 58 ″ E