Sant'Antioco, Menhir Sur Para and San Mongia

The menhirs of Su Para and Sa Mongia (the friar and the nun, in the Sardinian language), are located in a flat area, near the pond of Santa Caterina, on the isthmus that has recently connected the Sulcitan mainland with the island of Sant'Antioco, in southwestern Sardinia.
The monoliths are made of trachyte, are 3 m and m 2 tall respectively, and have a prismatic body. They are arranged at a distance of 6 m from each other along the north-south axis. Sa Mongia (i.e. the “feminine” nun or stone) has - on its east-facing face - numerous symbolic cups (0.30 m in diameter). Of these cups, a group of six is arranged in the lower half of the left side, another four in the upper half of the right margin. The faces facing south and east, on the other hand, show a single cup.
The two menhirs have inspired mysterious popular legends related to the petrification of real or fantastic beings.
They presumably date back to the late Neolithic (culture of San Michele, 3200-2800 BC).

Bibliography
C. Tronchetti, S. Antioco, series “Archaeological Sardinia. Guides and Itineraries”, Sassari, Carlo Delfino, 1989;
M. Frau-R. Monticolo, Sulcis: archaeological guide: Calasetta, Carbonia, Carloforte, Giba, Masainas, Narcao, Nuxis, Perdaxius, Piscinas, Portoscuso, S. Giovanni Suergiu, S. Anna Arresi, Santadi, S. Antioco, Teulada, Tratalias, Villaperuccio, Florence, Art and Nature, 1990; D. Cocco, “The centuries of prehistory: the nuragic”, in Sulci: the rediscovered centuries.
S. Antioco 1990, Cagliari, Autonomous Region of Sardinia, 1990;
V. Santoni, “Prehistory and Protohistory”, in P. Bartoloni, Sulcis, series “Itineraries”, Rome, Polygraphic Institute and State Mint, 1991.

How to get there
Starting from the SS 130 near Iglesias, take the road in the direction of Carbonia. On the SS 126, you cross Carbonia and San Giovanni Suergiu and continue to the island of Sant'Antioco, connected to the mainland by a bridge. The menhirs are located along this bridge, a short distance from the state road.