Sardinia's Ancient Giant Statues Inspired by People with Acromegaly, Study Claims

[Judi Lynn]

By
Abdul Moeed
May 9, 2025



One of the Giant statues of Mont’e Prama in Sardinia. Credit: DedaloNur / CC BY-SA 3.0


Massive stone statues unearthed in western Sardinia continue to puzzle archaeologists, decades after their first discovery. Known as the Giants of Mont’e Prama, the figures were carved by the Nuragic people, who inhabited the island from roughly 1800 to 200 BCE. Now, a new study suggests Sardinia’s ancient giant statues may have been inspired by individuals with acromegaly, a condition that causes abnormal bone growth.

The statues stand between two and two and a half meters tall and depict figures with weapons and armor—archers, warriors, and boxers. They were first discovered in 1974 during the excavation of a burial site near the town of Cabras. Since then, additional fragments and complete statues have been uncovered in the same area, with some finds made as recently as a few years ago.

The nearby necropolis contains a series of circular tombs, each sealed with stone slabs. Inside, researchers found the remains of young men believed to belong to the island’s elite.

Many may have been warriors, athletes, or local leaders from the same lineage. Because the statues were buried close to these tombs and dated to the same period, some experts believe they were placed as symbolic guardians of the dead. Others disagree.

More:
https://greekreporter.com/2025/05/09/sardinia-ancient-giant-statues-acromegaly/