The Culture of Bonnanaro characterises Sardinia during the early Bronze Age, and continues even during the Middle Bronze Age phase which follows. It has been divided into two very different cultural aspects: the first is commonly known by the name of Bonnanaro A and/or Corona Moltana (1800-1600 B.C.), while its most recent aspect, chronologically attributed to the Middle Bronze Age (1600-1500) is called Bonnanaro B or of Sa Turricula of Muros (1600-1500 B.C.).

The latter aspect has been identified in northern and central Sardinia, in several sites, particularly funerary ones (fig. 1), including the giants’ tomb of Thomes-Dorgali. During the Middle Bronze I Age, there is a diffusion of protonuraghe (fig. 1), archaic Nuraghe which mainly consisted of variously articulated corridors, covered by horizontal slabs placed side by side; inside there were usually niches and small cells covered by a false-vault built with a gradual narrowing of the rows towards the top.

Fig. 1 - Protonuraghe Bruncu Madugui, near Gesturi

From the limited investigations regarding Middle Bronze Age settlements, we deduce that the huts of the mountainous and hilly areas, with a single room and for a single family, have a brick base. The rectangular and semi-circular profiled hut of Sa Turricula, partly carved into the rock and partly bounded by a wall base, is equipped with a fireplace and a floor made of stones. The raised wall and roof could have been made with a frame of branches and twines of reeds and twigs, sealed with clay.

In central-northern Sardinia, on the threshold of the Nuraghic Age, the typical Nuraghic burials began to spread from the Middle Bronze I Age; these are known as giants’ tombs, characterised by an elongated burial chamber made of large stone slabs set vertically and an arched stele in the centre of the semi-circular area in front of the tomb (Thomes-Dorgali, Li Lolghi-Arzachena). These were collective graves, in which a human group, living in a given area, buried its dead for several generations (fig. 2).

Fig. 2 - Giants’ tomb of Li Longhi, in the territory of Archazena (from http://www.sardegnadigitallibrary.it/mmt/1024/49404.jpg).

In the north-western part of the island, in a rather small area (Sassari and Northern Logudoro), this type of giants’ tomb was mostly carved in the rock, creating funerary environments excavated in the rock with an architectural facade and often reusing previous domus de janas (fig. 3).

Fig. 3 - Tomb with architectural structure in Sas Puntas, in the territory of Tissi which fully reproduces a giants’ tomb both as regards the exedra facade and the interior (from http://www.sardegnadigitallibrary.it/mmt/480/48318.jpg).

The only sacred building so far attributed to the Middle Bronze Age is the temple of Malchittu, in the territory of Arzachena (fig. 4), consisting of a building with a sub-rectangular plan preceded by an atrium, reminiscent of those types of building called megaron, a distinctive element of Minoan-Mycenaean architecture.

Fig. 4 - The small temple of Malchittu-Arzachena (from http://www.sardegnadigitallibrary.it/mmt/1920/344746.jpg).

Pottery is simpler and poorer, the shapes are not as well-finished, nor are the mixtures and surfaces, and the vessels are mostly left undecorated.

The rare ornaments attributed to the Middle Bronze Age, necklace beads or pendants, are made of bone, animal teeth, shells and various types of stones.