Visit Necropolis of Moseddu & Petroglyph Park A & B, Cheremule, Sardinia, Italy

Add to My List Check Off

The Moseddu necropolis is an archaeological site located on the slopes of the ancient volcano of Monte Cuccuruddu, in the historical region of Meilogu , northwestern Sardinia. It belongs administratively to the municipality of Cheremule, a town in the province of Sassari, from which it is approximately two kilometers away. In 2025, the site was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The necropolis is located on a large limestone outcrop and is quite degraded due to the natural crumbling typical of that type of rock. It consists of eighteen hypogeal tombs of the domus de janas type with a simple single- or double-chambered layout. Some feature architectural elements such as lintels, doorjambs, steps, and cornices, carved in bas-relief into the rock. The necropolis, discovered in the 1940s by archaeologist Antonio Taramelli, can be dated to the Ozieri culture of the Late Neolithic (3200-2800 BC). The most interesting domus is the Branca tomb. Located in a slightly isolated position compared to the other hypogea of the necropolis, it consists of a large rectangular chamber, measuring 3.10 x 5 m, accessed via a short dromos. The tomb's distinctive feature is the presence of around twenty petroglyphs , some nearly 30 cm tall, engraved with a hammer on the right and left sides of the dromos and along the edges of the entrance door. These depict particularly stylized anthropomorphic figures , with slender bodies and heads represented by a circle, some with arms raised. The arrangement of some figures with raised forearms suggests they are dancing, while an upside-down figure may represent the deceased. Identical representations can also be found in the Cava tomb, so called because of its proximity to a stone quarry, which dates back to Roman times.

Write a Review

No Ratings Yet

Flag as inappropriate ›