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

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.