Mysterious Sardinia: the fascinating spirals of the Tomb of the Chessboard
Sardinia is well-known among archaeologists for its nuraghes—ancient towers that somewhat resemble the Scottish brochs—and for those extraordinary wonders carved into the rock, known as the "Tombs of the Giants." For this reason, Sardinia is truly an incredible place for anyone passionate about archaeology and ancient monuments. Yet, some of the most fascinating discoveries have been hidden for centuries, after being uncovered by archaeologists.

Paola and Diego Meozzi, two Italian archaeology journalists who run the Stone Pages website (www.stonepages.com), were the first to announce to the world a remarkable discovery that took place right in Sardinia. During an archaeological tour of the island, the two siblings stayed at an agriturismo in Sas Abbilas, located in a somewhat secluded valley near Bonovra (Sassari), not far from the famous prehistoric necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu.
Diego and Paola met the agriturismo owner, Mr. Antonello Porcu, who showed them a series of extraordinary images he had taken in 2009. The photos depicted large spirals, 70 centimeters in diameter, painted in ochre red on the walls of what appeared to be a prehistoric tomb. This was a Neolithic site discovered in the same year and named "The Tomb of the Chessboard," which conceals a story that is nothing short of mysterious.

In 2007, the municipality of Bonovra, with the help of a series of funding, launched an archaeological investigation in the area where the prehistoric necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu is located, near Mr. Porcu's agriturismo. In 2008, following the investigation, a digging campaign was initiated, led by a local cooperative and overseen by archaeologist Francesco Sartos, appointed by the Archaeological Superintendency for Nuoro and Sassari (the local branch of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage). A few weeks after the start of the excavation, despite the lead archaeologist repeatedly stating that nothing had been found yet, Mr. Porcu, curious about the ongoing movements of machinery, grew suspicious. Through his growing familiarity with the workers operating the diggers, he realized that something extraordinary had been discovered on the hills of the Tenuta Mariani Park.
Fortunately, Porcu and his brother couldn't resist their curiosity, and after a few days, they visited the excavation site to understand what was happening. Beneath a rug placed by the archaeologists, the Porcu brothers uncovered an entrance leading into a large tomb with three side niches. The interior of the tomb was decorated with vibrant red ochre drawings and enormous taurine horns sculpted into the rock. The ceiling, which stood at a height of 1.70 meters, was painted dark blue and white.

But what most struck the two curious onlookers was a series of seven red spirals painted on a side niche, each 70 centimeters in diameter, created with a very refined painting technique.

Furthermore, on the ceiling of the niche, there was a very rare geometric figure for tombs found in Sardinia: a black-and-white checkerboard pattern. This is likely a unique decoration for a site that seemingly dates back to the Neolithic period (from 3800 BCE to 2900 BCE), and can be attributed to the so-called Ozieri culture.

Fascinated by the discovery, Antonello Porcu decided to inform the mayor of Bonovra about the find in his territory. The mayor was surprised that none of the archaeologists had informed him of such an important discovery. Fortunately for us, Porcu had the foresight to take photographs of the tomb's interior, because just a few months later, the official representatives of the Archaeological Superintendency for Nuoro and Sassari decided to permanently block access to the tomb with concrete, covering the entire site with a thick layer of earth, effectively burying the tomb again.
The official reason given for this reckless action was the protection of the tomb from looters. Thus, the tomb and its stunning paintings were once again lost to oblivion. This fate was shared by other tombs found in the same area, such as the one known as "Sa Pala Larga," in which an impressive bull's head is carved, with a series of spirals above it forming a sort of "tree of life."
The Sardinian authorities are driven by the desire to protect the site and do not want word of the discovery to spread, but Diego and Paola Meozzi disagree: "Our archaeological heritage is a national treasure and must be shared. Protection is one thing, but hiding an ancient site indefinitely is another," Diego comments. "We wonder how many remarkable monuments have been found, studied, and then sealed by archaeologists in Sardinia, known only to a few authorized individuals. I ask that people from all over the world send an email to the Archaeological Superintendent for Sassari and Nuoro to urge a reconsideration of the sealing policy and to allow everyone to visit the site," Diego concludes.
I wonder how many archaeological discoveries have been hidden from the citizens of the Earth with the same narrow-minded logic. Who decides which discoveries can be made public and which cannot? How many "inconvenient" discoveries have been concealed from the knowledge of the people? This logic must be annihilated, especially in a field like archaeology, which is crucial to helping us understand our origins and, paradoxically, our destiny.
One last consideration: the spirals shown in the photos recall the pattern of motifs on the stone at the entrance to the Neolithic tomb of Newgrange in Ireland. A researcher has already noted that the spirals in the Tomb of the Chessboard resemble other rock art motifs found along the Atlantic coast of Europe, or like those painted inside the extraordinary Hal Saflieni Hypogeum on the island of Malta. If it is true, as some believe, that the Spiral is the ancient symbol of the Atlantean civilization, could the Tomb of the Chessboard be speaking to us about the descendants of the survivors of the catastrophe that destroyed Atlantis? What other secrets does Sardinia hide that could help us reconstruct the distant past of our species?