SHARRYLAND
Where is
What it is and where it is
Many centuries ago it was a resting place, today it is an archaeological site full of fascination, because there are still so many questions that remain unanswered. At a very short distance from Macomer, one sees a hill with sparse, dry vegetation interspersed with stones and low walls. The one that stands out most is definitely the Nuraghe Ruju, on its summit. Let's stop for a moment to observe, though, focusing on the stones. There, there, just above the dry stone wall, one two openings in the rock. And no, they are not of natural origin. They are the openings of two of the four tombs that make up the Filigosa necropolis.
Why it is special
In Sardinian dialect, this type of construction is called Domus de Janas, because they closely resemble the structure that the dwellings of the Nuragic civilization that lived in these areas had. Excavated in the tuffaceous rock, Domus de Janas have an access corridor, a central room, often with a bed and hearth, and a series of secondary rooms. It is not known if they were intended for family use, but they certainly housed more than one deceased person.
Not to be missed
It almost feels like being in a very detailed reconstruction of a museum. Only this is not a modern, technological and cleverly designed work to make us relive the past. This is the past, made eternal by rock, continuing its course undisturbed, both before and after the death of the people for whom it was intended. This conception seems to have been part of the culture of the Nuragic civilization: death was only the passage to another stage of life. This is why sepulchres imitate houses.
A bit of history
There are several hypotheses about the burial methods in use at the time. One says that the deceased was carried from what had been his dwelling until his death to what would be his dwelling from his death. Items of daily use would go with him, would still be useful to him, except to be removed to be part of other deceased. According to another hypothesis, the body would be left in the open, waiting for nature to consume its flesh. Only the bones would then be buried.
Trivia
The Sardinian expression Domus de Janas has been translated into Italian as fairy house, because these tombs are configured in every way like normal houses, but in miniature, as if they were built for a fairy. If you see a strange movement among the grass, stop and listen, maybe you will hear the faint tinkling of their wings!
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