Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sardinia – The domus de janas

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The Domus de Janas: A Window into Prehistoric Sardinian Culture

The Domus de Janas, or "Fairy Houses," offer a unique glimpse into the funerary traditions and cultural evolution of prehistoric Sardinia. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2025, this serial property encompasses a vast collection of hypogean burials and necropolises dating back to the 5th and 3rd millennia BCE.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

This serial property is an ensemble of  hypogean burials and necropolises located in Sardinia, created between the 5th and 3rd millennia BCE. These sites reflect the daily life and funerary practices of prehistoric Sardinian communities.  The domus de janas, locally known as “fairy houses,” are rock-cut tombs that reflect the funerary practices, spiritual beliefs, and social evolution of Sardinia’s prehistoric communities. These structures feature complex layouts, symbolic decorations, and figurative motifs that testify to the transformation of the relationship between the living and the dead in a society transitioning toward more complex forms of social organization. They  represent the most extensive and rich manifestation of hypogean funerary architecture in the western Mediterranean, exemplifying a phenomenon attested by approximately 3,500 hypogea spread across the entire island.

Encyclopedia Record: Domus de Janas

Domus de Janas are a type of pre-Nuragic rock-cut chamber tomb found in Sardinia. They consist of several chambers quarried out by the people of the San Ciriaco through Ozieri cultures and subsequent cultures, resembling houses in their layout.

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