Ossi
Necropolis of Noeddale
The necropolis of Noeddale is located in the valley of Sae. It is made up of at least 6 hypogea, three of which have been excavated into a slightly inclined limestone table, one into a low wall underneath and the other two on the rock face. If you reach the necropolis from the spring of Noeddale, about 80 metres from the fenced area you will find Tomb V, which has double angular fluting on the rock surface above the tomb. Continuing southwards, Tomb IV appears along the road, modified to collect filtered water, in fact, a basin has been excavated in the rock to hold water. Near the new access to the fenced area we find Tomb III, excavated in the low gap between the road and the funerary area. Here there are two multi-chambered tombs: the Tomb of the House and the Tomb of the Spirals, both preceded by short a dromos, or corridor.
The Tomb of the House is located on the southern fringe of the fenced area. It is made up of 11 chambers, organised in an irregular plan, resulting from interventions to enlarge the tomb. To get to the ante-chamber you must go through an entrance with regular plan: the ante-chamber has a trapezoidal shape and is missing a good part of its walls and roof.
The Tomb of the Spirals was excavated into a limestone rock surface, 10 metres north-east from the Tomb of the Houses: it is made up of a dromos (tn* corridor) and six chambers arranged into a “varied T”. The ante-chamber has a sub-squared plan, the roof has collapsed and on the left lateral wall there are two pairs of carved convex horns.
Tomb III is found in the bottom part of the rock ledge near the access staircase, where the most imposing tombs of the necropolis are located. The hypogeum is no longer accessible because the front part of the roof has slid forward. It consists of a short entrance, followed by an ante-chamber, which connects to 6 elevated chambers. Tomb IV is located along a low rocky wall facing west, and overlooking the road that leads from the spring of Noeddale to the necropolis, forty metres north of the fenced area. It consists of a large rectangular chamber with an inaccessible floor, due to the presence of earth and rocks. Higher up on the right, there is a small room, now without walls. Two more chambers have entrance doorways in the left wall. Tomb V is located 80 metres northwards and can be accessed through a large rectangular opening. This opening leads you to a wide rectangular chamber, where the roof and floor have been altered. On the left, there is an elevated niche about 0.50 metres from the entrance.
The Tomb of the House is located on the southern fringe of the fenced area. It is made up of 11 chambers, organised in an irregular plan, resulting from interventions to enlarge the tomb. To get to the ante-chamber you must go through an entrance with regular plan: the ante-chamber has a trapezoidal shape and is missing a good part of its walls and roof.
The Tomb of the Spirals was excavated into a limestone rock surface, 10 metres north-east from the Tomb of the Houses: it is made up of a dromos (tn* corridor) and six chambers arranged into a “varied T”. The ante-chamber has a sub-squared plan, the roof has collapsed and on the left lateral wall there are two pairs of carved convex horns.
Tomb III is found in the bottom part of the rock ledge near the access staircase, where the most imposing tombs of the necropolis are located. The hypogeum is no longer accessible because the front part of the roof has slid forward. It consists of a short entrance, followed by an ante-chamber, which connects to 6 elevated chambers. Tomb IV is located along a low rocky wall facing west, and overlooking the road that leads from the spring of Noeddale to the necropolis, forty metres north of the fenced area. It consists of a large rectangular chamber with an inaccessible floor, due to the presence of earth and rocks. Higher up on the right, there is a small room, now without walls. Two more chambers have entrance doorways in the left wall. Tomb V is located 80 metres northwards and can be accessed through a large rectangular opening. This opening leads you to a wide rectangular chamber, where the roof and floor have been altered. On the left, there is an elevated niche about 0.50 metres from the entrance.
Source: “Hypogeous necropolis of S’Adde ‘e Asile and Noeddale in Ossi” (in Italian) by Pina Maria Derudas
