Madau
Madau is an archaeological site near Fonni in the province of Nuoro in Sardinia . On the road from Pratobello to the 1118 m high Passo di Caravai to the south lies a necropolis from the Bronze Age , which consists of four neighboring giant tombs , which are oriented towards the Arcu Corr'e Boi saddle. The buildings called “Tumbas de los zigantes” and ( Italian Tombe dei Giganti - plur.) In Sardu are the largest prenuraghic cult structures in Sardinia and are among the latest megalithic structures 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 of a rectangular facade made of processed and layered stone blocks, instead of monolithic steles . The giant graves of Madau belong to the younger type (with a square facade).
description
The two systems closest to the road have been badly damaged. One has a rear wall of the chamber covered with bowls . The third facility is around 22.0 m long and has a 24.0 m wide forecourt. It's the largest of the group. It belongs to the Madau type with a square facade . The associated tooth frieze (Italian: fregio a dentelli ), a crenellated ornament band, is located a few meters from the entrance. The cantilever- vaulted gallery is nine meters long and is partly covered by a tumulus formed from several layers and soil .
The ashlar facade of the fourth complex is built on the portal stele of a giant grave of the older type (orthostat grave). The chamber is arched using the cantilever technique, and a lintel cover is usually used. In front of the facility is a fireplace and a round bowl stone .
Among the finds are a bronze bracelet, many ceramic pans, some ceramic forms from the 14th / 13th centuries. Century BC BC, a few small baityloi made of trachyte and over a dozen glass river pearls in various colors and shapes.
Nearby is the Nuragic settlement of Gremanu .
See also
literature
- Rainer Pauli: Sardinia. History culture landscape. Voyages of discovery on one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean . 7th edition. DuMont, Cologne 1990, ISBN 3-7701-1368-3 , ( DuMont documents. DuMont art travel guide ).
Web links
Coordinates: 40 ° 7 ′ 14 ″ N , 9 ° 19 ′ 52 ″ E