L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 26 L'Italo-Americano W e can call t h e m "homes of t h e fairies" or "homes of the witches," if we are so inclined. In Sardinia, however, they are known as Domus de Janas, and they are the latest treasure to be officially proposed for inclu- s i o n o n t h e U N E S C O World Heritage List for 2025. This initiative, named Art and Architecture in the Prehistory of Sardinia: the Domus de Janas, includes 26 monumental complexes that span from the Middle Neolithic to the Copper Age and highlight the cultural system that characterized Sardinia until the onset of the Bronze Age. This period is known for two specific architectural phenomena, hypogeism and megalithism, symbols of the island's rich pre-Nuragic civilization. The nomination is based on several criteria, as out- lined by the 1972 Convention for the Protection of the Cul- tural and Natural Heritage, w h i c h f o c u s o n t h e s i t e s ' u n i q u e c o n t r i b u t i o n t o Mediterranean and Euro- pean hypogeism and mega- l i t h i s m . T h e D o m u s d e Janas, often referred to in folklore (as we hinted at in our title) as the dwellings of little fairies, are the histori- c a l m e m o r y o f S a r d i n i a , reflecting the belief systems of prehistoric communities. Behind the candidacy, we find the Centro Studi Iden- tità e Memoria - Sardegna Association, and the network of Domus de Janas Munici- palities, which include 37 towns and villages. T h e s u b m i s s i o n w i l l undergo examination by the advisory bodies of the World Heritage Committee before being evaluated by the Com- mittee of the 1972 Conven- tion in 2025. Culture Minis- ter Gennaro Sangiuliano explained that the Domus de Janas are "a historical-cul- tural testimony of exception- al universal value," under- s c o r i n g t h e r i c h n e s s o f Sardinian heritage. This ini- tiative, of course, wants to preserve these ancient sites but also ensure that their sig- nificance within the broader context of human history and cultural development is recognized. But what are these almost magical fairy homes? Well, first of all, they are not home to fairies, but rather, to the D e a d . Y e s , t h e D o m u s d e Janas are tombs carved from rock, which date back to a period spanning from 3400 to 2700 BC, aligning with the late Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and early Bronze Age peri- o d s , i n c l u d i n g t h e B e l l Beaker culture. The Domus, such as the ones at Anghelu R u j u n e a r A l g h e r o , Montessu near Villaperuc- cio, and Sant'Andrea Priu at Bonorva, underscore the extensive reach and sophisti- cation of pre-Nuragic soci- eties in Sardinia. Unlike in Gallura, where megalithic circles were preferred for burials, the rest of Sardinia saw the Domus de Janas as integral to their burial tradi- tions, with some sites host- ing as many as 38 tombs. Their creation is attrib- uted to the peoples of the San Ciriaco through Ozieri cultures, highlighting a con- t i n u i t y a n d e v o l u t i o n i n funerary practices over mil- lennia. While specific details about the San Ciriaco cul- ture are limited in the con- text of Domus de Janas, we know its people contributed to the early development of these structures. We know m o r e , t h o u g h , a b o u t t h e O z i e r i c u l t u r e , w h i c h f l o u r i s h e d b e t w e e n 3 2 0 0 and 2800 BC, a period where t h e d o m u s b e c a m e m o r e widespread and sophisticat- e d i n d e s i g n . I n d e e d , t h e Ozieri people are credited with the expansion and elab- o r a t i o n o f t h e D o m u s d e Janas, including the intro- duction of more intricate architectural features and decorative motifs, probably a mirror to their heightened concern for the afterlife and their deeper respect for the Dead. T h e d e v e l o p m e n t a n d refinement of the Domus de Janas seem to illustrate a continuity in the ritualistic and spiritual treatment of death: over time, the prac- tices associated with these tombs evolved, reflecting changes in societal struc- tures, beliefs, and interac- tions with the environment. Their architectural complexi- ty, including their resem- blance to living houses, sug- gests a belief in an afterlife where the physical and spiri- tual needs of the deceased mirrored those of the living and they were able to con- nect with the living world. The decorations carved into their walls —spirals, zig- zags, and bull's horns—carry profound symbolic mean- ings: spirals can be inter- p r e t e d a s s y m b o l s o f t h e c y c l e o f l i f e , d e a t h , a n d rebirth, which reflect the Neolithic understanding of the continuity between this world and the next. Zig-zag motifs may represent water, a vital element for life and regeneration, and a symbol of the journey of the soul and its purification. Bull's horns are often associated with strength, fertility, and the divine, indicating a protec- tive role over the deceased and, possibly, a connection to a bull cult, common in ancient Mediterranean reli- gions. False doors, present in about 20 tombs across the island, further exemplify this complex spiritual and reli- gious landscape, as they like- ly served as symbolic pas- sageways between the world of the living and the realm of the Dead, a concept found in v a r i o u s a n c i e n t c u l t u r e s . T h e y w e r e n o t m e a n t f o r physical use but to allow the soul to move freely in and out of the tomb, facilitating communication and offer- ings from the living relatives. Interestingly, we know also about the burial prac- tices within the Domus: the deceased, for instance, were often painted with red ochre, a practice seen across vari- ous ancient cultures to sym- bolize the blood of life, and a possible desire for resurrec- tion or rebirth. The inclusion of personal belongings, tools, a n d j e w e l s w i t h t h e d e a d u n d e r s c o r e s a b e l i e f t h a t t h e s e i t e m s w o u l d b e required or used in the after- life. As in other ancient civi- lizations, this practice didn't only show respect and care f o r t h e d e p a r t e d b u t a l s o served as an acknowledg- ment of their status, profes- sion, or personal history, ensuring their identity and memory were preserved. T h e s e a s p e c t s o f t h e Domus de Janas highlight quite a sophisticated under- standing of death and the afterlife during the Neolithic period in Sardinia: far from being a simple final resting p l a c e , t h e s e t o m b s w e r e designed as eternal homes for the deceased, equipped with symbolic protections a n d c o n n e c t i o n s t o t h e d i v i n e . T h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n a r c h i t e c t u r a l design, burial practices, and symbolic decorations reveals a complex cosmology that celebrated the cyclical nature of existence and honored the transition from life to death and beyond. Through their construc- tion, decorations, and the r i t u a l s t h e y h o u s e d , t h e Domus de Janas provide a window into the spiritual and daily lives of Sardinia's a n c i e n t i n h a b i t a n t s a n d reveal a society deeply con- nected to its landscape and rich in symbolic expression. These sites remain splendid examples of the architectural and artistic capabilities of prehistoric Sardinians but also help us understand their complex cosmologies and how they sailed through the deepest mysteries of life and death. Sardinia's "homes of the fairies" could become part of the UNESCO Heritage CHIARA D'ALESSIO A view of the Domus de Su Orcu, in Setzu (Photo: Rodolfo Baldussi/Dreamstime) and, bottom left, the Domus de Jana in Chiaramonti (Photo: Mirko Maier/Dreamstime) LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE TRADITIONS

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