The Elephant-shaped Rock and its Ancient Tombs in Castelsardo

The Elephant-shaped Rock and its Ancient Tombs in Castelsardo

Explore the mysterious domus de janas, ancient tombs hidden inside a boulder shaped like an elephant.

In the Italian village of Castelsardo, there lies a unique boulder, known as the Elephant's Rock. Standing about 13 feet high, this trachyte and andesite rock has been sculpted over time, taking on the form of a massive elephant. But the Elephant's Rock is more than just an unusual shape. Two domus de janas, ancient tombs dating back to the pre-nuragic period, are carved inside. These tombs hold great archaeological importance, and in 2025, the Elephant's Rock was added to the World Heritage Site list as part of the 'Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sardinia – The domus de janas' entry.

Sources: Wikipedia, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons

Written by Sardinian

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