Tomb of the Giants Fiorosu

The Tomb of the Giants of Fiorosu (tn* a type of Sardinian megalithic communal gallery grave built during the Bronze Age by the Nuragic civilization) was found in the first half of 1857 and is among the most important in Sardinia because of the dimensions of its exedra. It is located about 300 metres from the nuraghe Fiorosu (tn* nuraghe: large megalithic, tower-shaped, prehistoric stone structures found in Sardinia, dating from the second millennium BC to the Roman conquest). The tomb was documented and studied by Lillina Fiori for her graduation thesis in the 1965-1966 academic year. The historians Lo Spano and Lamarmora talk about the Tomb of the Giants Fiorosu, but only report finding the stele with engraved human figure. The academic defines the rather imposing structure that measures 22 metres overall; the exedra is 18 metres long and almost all the stones are in place,vertically positioned in the ground, some are very high, others less so. The burial gallery is 16 metres long, 1.30 metres high and 1.40 wide and is covered by horizontal slabs of stone. One slab is missing, allowing us to see the inside the tomb, of rectangular section.

The tomb of the giants, today partially covered with earth, might have some surprises in store. Its structure and geomorphology indicate that the original plan of the tomb might be hidden under the earth. In order to give value to the architectural and historical attractions in the territory of Ploaghe, the Town Council is investigating avenues for funding to enable an archaeological dig to begin.

Source: Graduation thesis of Lillian Fiori “The antiquities of Ploaghe in the works of Giovanni Spano and today”: Contributions of Giovanni Spano 1803-1878 (in Italian), published by Chiarella Sassari