Sardinia's Giants of Mont'e Prama
Discovered by chance in 1974, the Giants of Mont’e Prama are a collection of sculptures, carved from limestone during Sardinia’s Iron Age. To date over 10,000 fragments have been recovered from a series of excavations carried out at a single archaeological site between 1974 and 2022, from which 44 statues have so far been reassembled. The most striking of these prehistoric sculptures are the larger-than-life statues of archers, warriors and boxers. The so-called ‘Giants of Mont’e Prama’. But the assemblage also includes carved sacred stones, or betyls, as well as models of nuraghe – the dry stone towers unique to Sardinia that have come to define the Nuragic period.Â
The anthropomorphic sculptures stand between 2 and 2.5 m high, and closely resemble bronze statuettes (bronzetti) already well known archaeologically from the Nuragic period. These similarities have led archaeologists to identify three types of human figure amongst the giants: archers, boxers and warriors. The models of nuraghe are, obviously, much smaller than their real-life counterparts. And they vary from represntations of single towered nuraghe to multi-towered structures. Â
The ARchaeological Site of Mont'e Prama
Although the archaeological site of Mont’e Prama is closed to the public, it is only surrounded by a secure fence. This makes it possible for those with strong interests in archaeology generally the Nuragic civilisation specifically to view the site where the giants were excavated.
The site is accessible for various events throughout the year (check the Fondazione Mont’e Prama website and social media accounts for details). Otherwise it is possible for groups of more than 10 to make a reservation for a guided tour.
Where to See the Giants of Mont'e Prama
As of June 2026, all 44 re-assembled giants are on display in the archaeology museum in Cabras, officially known as the Giovanni Marongiu Civic Museum. Before this, the collection was split between the Cabras museum (where 11 sculptures were on display) and the National Archaeological Museum in Cagliari (33 sculptures were on display).
The collection of giant statues, as well as the betyls and models of nuraghe, are simply presented in a vast gallery in the Cabras museum. The impact of these 44 sculptures, devoid of exhibit paraphenalia, is powerful. From the gallery, it is possible to look over the Cabras Lagoon towards the archaeological site where the statues were recovered.
An interesting, and useful, feature of the display of the giants in Cagliari was the use of bronzetti small intricate bronze figurines made by the same people who made the giants. Some of the giants bear a striking resemblance to their miniature counterparts – it was instructive to be able to see the two side-by-side. Given the campaign to reunite the collections of statues, it will be interesting to see how the display in Cabras develops.
The Giants in Temporary Exhibitions
The Giants of Mont’e Prama are well travelled objects. Between 2020 and 2022, the temporary exhibit ‘Sardinia: Island of Megaliths’ was hosted at the following museums: Museum of Prehistory and Early History of the National Museums in Berlin, the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, the National Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki and the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. More recently, one of the boxers was on display in the Greek and Roman Art galleries of the Metropolitan Museum of Art from 25 May through to 6 December 2023.
Add the Museum & Archaeological site to your itinerary
Civic Archaeological Museum of Cabras
The Museo Civico “Giovanni Marongiu” – Cabras opened in 1997 exhibiting the local history of the Cabras municipality (including the Sinis Peninsular), from prehistory to medieval times. Artefacts come from Neolithic, Nuragic, Phoenician-Punic, Roman and medieval sites in the area. Two notable displays include the Roman shipwreck of Mal di Ventre, dated to the 1st century BC, and a small collection of the large stone statues, the ‘Sardinian Giants’, recovered by archaeologists at the Nuragic necropolis of Mont’e Prama.
Mont'e Prama Archaeological Site
The archaeological site at which the fragments of the so-called Giants of Mont’e Prama were found is not open to the public. Although you can see the excavation from the road. This is because archaeological investigations are ongoing. Regular events are organised, however, either by the museum in Cabras or the Mont’e Prama Foundation. And these often include guided tours of the site. These last about an hour, and we highly recommend taking one if you can. Although it seems that there is very little to see (certainly there are not giant sculptures in place), it is possible to get an appreciation of the ritual context of the larger than life sculptures.
Replicas of the Giants at Cagliari Elmas Airport
If you missed seeing the Giants while touring Sardinia, you can see replicas in the arrival hall of Cagliari Elmas International Airport. The upper, departures level also has an interesting digital display alongside replicas of each of the three types of sculptured figure (a boxer, an archer and a warrior). Images of the giants can be seen all over the island. This and the conspicuous position the replicas have in the islands premier international airport goes some way to demonstrating just how significant these prehistoric objects are thought to be in Sardinia. Not just in terms of their importance for tourism, but perhaps more crucially, the role these objects play in constructing the history of the island.Â
