The Elephant Rock: Sa Pedra Pertunta 0 Commentaires

Written by Daniela Toti

It was in 1914 when scholar Edoardo Benetti described this unique natural monument for the first time. He compared it to a colossal mammoth heading toward the hills of northern Sardinia. Since then, the Elephant Rock, known in Sardinian as Sa Pedra Pertunta, the “pierced stone”, has fascinated visitors, scholars, and photographers alike.

We are in the municipality of Castelsardo, in the locality of Multeddu, along the provincial road leading to Sedini. The site is easily accessible, about 1 hour and 40 minutes (100.9 km) from Gabbiano Azzurro Hotel & Suites, and is set in a hilly landscape dotted with Mediterranean scrub, wild olive trees, and oaks.

The formation is composed of trachyte and andesite, volcanic rocks with a characteristic rust color, sculpted over millennia by wind and rain erosion. The result? A shape that incredibly resembles a walking elephant, complete with a “trunk” and sketched “legs.” This phenomenon is known as natural pareidolia, the human tendency to recognize familiar shapes in objects or landscapes, as previously explored in the blog post The Sardinian Stones.

But the true wonder lies within the rock itself, where two Domus de Janas are found,  hypogeal tombs carved by pre-Nuragic peoples between 3500 and 2700 BC, during the Late Neolithic. These “fairy houses,” as their poetic name suggests, were in fact sacred places linked to the cult of the dead. The unusual shape of the rock could only have inspired legends. It is easy to imagine that ancient Sardinians saw in the rock’s figure a divine messenger or considered it a gateway to the afterlife. We cannot be certain whether they truly associated symbolic meaning with the rock’s shape, but surely the choice to carve tombs right there was not accidental.

The upper Domus (or Tomb I) is the older of the two, but also the more damaged. It consists of three chambers carved into the rock, but the front part, once perhaps covered by a portico, has been lost. The interior walls are plain and undecorated, revealing the ancient chisel work of the area’s earliest inhabitants.

Much better preserved is the lower Domus (or Tomb II), composed of a dromos (access corridor) leading to an antechamber and then two side cells and a third deeper chamber. The atmosphere is evocative, almost ritualistic, enhanced by the soft light filtering inside.

One of the cells features a sculpted bovine protome in relief, a symbol of fertility and sacredness. This type of decoration can also be found in other Domus, such as the Domus De Janas Of Sennori in the Orto del Beneficio Parrocchiale.

The site is open year-round with free access, and the Elephant Rock is clearly marked and visible from the road. However, to fully appreciate its magic, it is recommended to stop and observe calmly, perhaps during the hours of sunset when the reddish hues are most vivid.

The Elephant Rock is a perfect example of how nature and culture intertwine in the identity of a place.

“Whoever travels from Castelsardo along the Via Nazionale heading toward Sedini suddenly finds themselves before a strange sight. A gigantic elephant, three times larger than the enormous prehistoric mammoths, seems to emerge from the jungle and walk toward the mountains.” (Edoardo Benetti)

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If you are planning a trip to Sardinia, including the Elephant Rock among your stops will give you a deep insight into the ancient heart of the island. Start from the Gabbiano Azzurro Hotel & Suites and let yourself be guided by the beauty of the stones that speak.