Why this ride
From Orotelli it runs 190 km to Orotelli; allow about 3 h 42 of riding. On the way it passes Necropolis of Istevéne, Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa and back through Necropolis of Istevéne.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Necropolis of Brodu and Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 190 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 3 h 42
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
Ordered leg totals agree within rounding. Stop distances are approximate sums of rounded legs. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Necropolis of Brodu
Barbagia is the rugged heart of Sardinia, a land of granite hills, shepherds and fiercely held traditions, and on its western edge, near the village of Oniferi, the rock-cut tombs of Brodu are among the most elaborate on the island. Like other domus de janas, these chambers were carved into the stone by the people of the Neolithic Ozieri culture and later, but here several of them have carved decoration inside: false doors, imitation roof beams and, in some, the curved horn motifs that are thought to represent the bull, a symbol of strength and fertility that appears again and again in Sardinian prehistory.
Read the complete Necropolis of Brodu write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Necropolis of Brodu is where the day begins. Next is Necropolis of Istevéne.
2. Necropolis of Istevéne
In Sardinian folklore, the little rock-cut tombs scattered across the island were the homes of janas, tiny fairies or witches who wove on golden looms and came out at night. Archaeologists call them domus de janas, fairy houses, and date them to the Neolithic and Copper Age, thousands of years before the famous nuraghi towers. The necropolis of Istevéne, near Mamoiada in the heart of the Barbagia, is a group of these chambers cut into the granite, some with carved details imitating the beams and doorways of real houses, and it belongs among the prehistoric Sardinian tombs that have gained UNESCO recognition.
Read the complete Necropolis of Istevéne write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Necropolis of Istevéne comes up about 30 km into the recorded legs. Next is Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa.
3. Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa
The high country of central Sardinia, between the Tirso river and the hills of the Barbagia, is a landscape of basalt plateaus, cork forests, small stone villages and long, empty views. The nearest places on our list, Nughedu Santa Vittoria and Neoneli, are small villages with only a few hundred people each, and the town of Macomer is some twenty-five kilometres away. The prehistoric story here is about how the island's early people treated their dead, and the title reflects that.
Read the complete Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
about 90 km into the recorded legs you reach Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa. Next is back through Necropolis of Istevéne.
4. back through Necropolis of Istevéne
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Necropolis of Istevéne write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Necropolis of Istevéne, late in the day. Next is Necropolis of Brodu.
5. Necropolis of Brodu
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Necropolis of Brodu write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Back at Necropolis of Brodu. That is the ride.
Leg by leg
Necropolis of Brodu to Necropolis of Istevéne
Necropolis of Brodu → Necropolis of Istevéne is 30 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Necropolis of Istevéne to Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa
Necropolis of Istevéne → Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa is 60 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa to back through Necropolis of Istevéne
Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa → back through Necropolis of Istevéne is 73 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Necropolis of Istevéne to Necropolis of Brodu
back through Necropolis of Istevéne → Necropolis of Brodu is 28 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.