The Domus De Janas Joins The UNESCO World Heritage List 0 Comments

by Daniela Toti

An event we have followed with passion and attention – see our previous article Domus De Janas, A UNESCO Heritage Candidacy.  Today, 12 July 2025, the Domus de Janas are officially recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage: a historic achievement. A source of pride for Sardinia, for Italy, and for all Mediterranean prehistoric archaeology.

The Domus de Janas, meaning “fairy houses” in Sardinian, are prehistoric rock-cut tombs dating back to the Middle Neolithic (5th millennium BCE). They are extraordinary examples of underground funerary architecture, found throughout the island, with around 3,500 known examples, often grouped in necropolises linked to ancient villages and places of worship.

The long-awaited UNESCO recognition has now been confirmed, officially inscribing the Domus de Janas as Sardinia’s 6th site on the World Heritage List. The other 5 are:

1. Su Nuraxi Barumini Archaeological Area: recognized in the “Cultural and Landscape Heritage” of UNESCO since 1997.

2. Tenors Singers: included in the “Intangible Heritage of Humanity” of UNESCO since 2005. 

3. Big Shoulder Machines: included in the “Intangible Heritage of Humanity" of UNESCO since 2013.

4. Tepilora Regional Park: proclaimed a "Biosphere Reserve" by UNESCO in 2017.

5. Dry-stone Walls: included in the “Intangible Heritage of Humanity” of UNESCO since 2018 (with Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland).

The candidacy, titled Funerary Traditions in Prehistoric Sardinia: The Domus de Janas, was accepted under Criterion III of the 1972 UNESCO Convention, as a unique testimony of a vanished culture.

These funerary sites are not only of archaeological importance, but they also reveal the social structures, religious beliefs, and cultural evolution of Neolithic communities in Sardinia. The tombs were not just burial places but sacred spaces, often decorated with symbols, carvings, and rock paintings, sometimes with multiple chambers and architectural elements that echoed domestic spaces.

Moreover, many Domus were reused over the centuries, including during the Nuragic period, demonstrating a continuity of use and sacredness.

The UNESCO site consists of several locations, mostly concentrated in central and northern Sardinia. Among the most notable sites we have written about:

• Hypogeic Necropolis Of Anghelu Ruju, near Alghero

• Necropolis Of Su Crucifissu Mannu, in Porto Torres

• Domus De Janas Of Sennori, embedded within the town itself

• The Domus De Janas “La Rocca” In Sedini, also known as the “house in the rock”

• Domus De Janas Of The Necropolis Of Sant'Andrea Priu, in Bonorva, with extraordinary rock frescoes

• The Megalithic Circle: Li Muri, a site we recently described

• The Elephant Rock – Sa Pedra Pertunta

The UNESCO recognition brings both prestige and responsibility. With this new addition, Italy reinforces its global leadership for the highest number of UNESCO sites, reaching a total of 61. An immense heritage that spans from the Colosseum to the Dolomites, from the Valley of the Temples to Pompeii, and now includes the Domus de Janas.

The next step is to enhance, protect, and make these extraordinary places accessible. Protection efforts, restoration work, signage, and infrastructure are all planned to promote sustainable cultural tourism. This journey will place a spotlight on the inner, authentic, and profound Sardinia.

Visiting a Domus de Janas is not just an archaeological experience: it is a journey into ancient spirituality, a moment of listening to the stones that speak. 

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