Monte Baranta Megalithic Complex

Monte Baranta is a pre-Nuragic megalithic complex near Olmedo in northwestern Sardinia, dating to the Copper Age Monte Claro culture (2500-2200 BC). Its crescent-shaped fortress, unique in Sardinia, stands 3.5 m high and 5 m thick, built from large irregular trachyte slabs covering 380 sq m. A massive 97 m perimeter wall with boulders reaching human height encloses the site, which also features a 10 m stone circle, limestone pavement, and two phallic-shaped menhirs in its sacred area. Briefly occupied after construction, it saw sporadic reuse during the Bronze Age and Nuragic periods.