Ossi
Necropolis of S’Adde e Asile
The necropolis of S’Adde ‘e Asile is located on the southern slopes of Mount Corona ‘e Teula and is made up of 11 domus de janas (tn* Neolithic tombs carved into rock called “houses of the fairies”). There are two groups in the necropolis. The first is few metres from the segment of Sas Raininas, where we find the Hourglass Tomb, the Cup Mark Tomb, the Tomb with Windows, the One-chamber Tomb and two other tombs still to be dug. Three-hundred metres north-east, next to each other, are the Major Tomb and the Sheep Pen Tomb. The typology of the tombs varies but they mainly have articulate plans. Only one tomb has a single chamber, the others have two or more, until we reach the imposing Major tomb. There are another two tombs which have distinct architectural designs. They are the Tomb of Brunuzzu and the Tomb of Corona ‘e Teula.
The Hourglass Tomb is located thirty metres to the east of the entrance of the necropolis: it is a multi-chambered hypogeum with entrance oriented towards south-east. It seems to consist of a dromos (tn* corridor) with a step, followed by an ante-chamber from where the two other chambers branch-off laterally. In the wide central body, an elevated chamber opens up on the left side and the entrance to the eastern wing of the sepulchre, consisting of five chambers, is on the right.
The Cup Mark Tomb is located about thirty metres east of the Hourglass Tomb. The hypogeum has three chambers, organised along a longitudinal axis. A fourth chamber connects obliquely to the third chamber. Peculiarly, the square plan ante-chamber, has a cup mark in the centre.
The Tomb with Windows is located about twenty metres south-east from the Hourglass Tomb, in a low limestone ledge. It is a big hypogeum with a longitudinal projection and a T-shaped plan, made up of 8 rooms and 6 secondary chambers, laid out three per side. You can enter through a rectangular door and the roof has a spherical-shaped cap.
The One-Chamber Tomb is found in a low rock formation about fifty metres south-east from the Tomb with Windows. Before the door, with rectangular opening, there is a short pavilion with a curved roof. The chamber has a semi-circular plan with protruding walls and flat roof.
The Sheep Pen Tomb is found in the centre of a steep limestone rock formation, about twenty metres south of the Major Tomb and is easily recognizable by its huge entrance, due to the demolition of the front part. It is accessed via eight steps carved into the rock that lead to a rectangular chamber, enclosed by dry stone walls. On the left, there is a rectangular chamber, its entrance is obstructed by the rocks.
The Major Tomb is located on a low limestone rock formationabove the wall in which the Sheep Pen Tomb was excavated. The hypogeum is planimetric and its entrance is oriented towards south-east. The monument consists of twenty-one chambers with four identifiable units. The central unit has an ante-chamber and a big chamber. The second unit is on the right, and is accessed from the ante-chamber and has four quadrangular chambers. The third unit is also on the right side, overlooking the big chamber and includes ten chambers of different shapes and dimensions with counters, elevated niches, steps and seven dividing walls. The fourth unit, on the left side, overlooks the main chamber and has four secondary chambers.
The Tomb of Brunuzzu has an architectural design. It is found two-hundred metres south of the Sheep Pen Tomb, in a low limestone ledge. The inside consists of a corridor that leads to a great rectangular chamber with smoothed corners: above this chamber there are two semi-circular niches on the left and one on the right.
The Tomb of Corona ‘e Teula is found in a limestone ledge facing south, about two-hundred metres north-northeast from the Nuraghe Brunuzzu (tn* nuraghe: large megalithic, tower-shaped, prehistoric stone structures found in Sardinia, dating from the 2nd millennium BC to the Roman conquest). The building has an architectural design but with an articulate plan. It has a chamber which connects to an elevated second chamber on the left, and another chamber on the right, which is inaccessible due to collapsed material.
The Hourglass Tomb is located thirty metres to the east of the entrance of the necropolis: it is a multi-chambered hypogeum with entrance oriented towards south-east. It seems to consist of a dromos (tn* corridor) with a step, followed by an ante-chamber from where the two other chambers branch-off laterally. In the wide central body, an elevated chamber opens up on the left side and the entrance to the eastern wing of the sepulchre, consisting of five chambers, is on the right.
The Cup Mark Tomb is located about thirty metres east of the Hourglass Tomb. The hypogeum has three chambers, organised along a longitudinal axis. A fourth chamber connects obliquely to the third chamber. Peculiarly, the square plan ante-chamber, has a cup mark in the centre.
The Tomb with Windows is located about twenty metres south-east from the Hourglass Tomb, in a low limestone ledge. It is a big hypogeum with a longitudinal projection and a T-shaped plan, made up of 8 rooms and 6 secondary chambers, laid out three per side. You can enter through a rectangular door and the roof has a spherical-shaped cap.
The One-Chamber Tomb is found in a low rock formation about fifty metres south-east from the Tomb with Windows. Before the door, with rectangular opening, there is a short pavilion with a curved roof. The chamber has a semi-circular plan with protruding walls and flat roof.
The Sheep Pen Tomb is found in the centre of a steep limestone rock formation, about twenty metres south of the Major Tomb and is easily recognizable by its huge entrance, due to the demolition of the front part. It is accessed via eight steps carved into the rock that lead to a rectangular chamber, enclosed by dry stone walls. On the left, there is a rectangular chamber, its entrance is obstructed by the rocks.
The Major Tomb is located on a low limestone rock formationabove the wall in which the Sheep Pen Tomb was excavated. The hypogeum is planimetric and its entrance is oriented towards south-east. The monument consists of twenty-one chambers with four identifiable units. The central unit has an ante-chamber and a big chamber. The second unit is on the right, and is accessed from the ante-chamber and has four quadrangular chambers. The third unit is also on the right side, overlooking the big chamber and includes ten chambers of different shapes and dimensions with counters, elevated niches, steps and seven dividing walls. The fourth unit, on the left side, overlooks the main chamber and has four secondary chambers.
The Tomb of Brunuzzu has an architectural design. It is found two-hundred metres south of the Sheep Pen Tomb, in a low limestone ledge. The inside consists of a corridor that leads to a great rectangular chamber with smoothed corners: above this chamber there are two semi-circular niches on the left and one on the right.
The Tomb of Corona ‘e Teula is found in a limestone ledge facing south, about two-hundred metres north-northeast from the Nuraghe Brunuzzu (tn* nuraghe: large megalithic, tower-shaped, prehistoric stone structures found in Sardinia, dating from the 2nd millennium BC to the Roman conquest). The building has an architectural design but with an articulate plan. It has a chamber which connects to an elevated second chamber on the left, and another chamber on the right, which is inaccessible due to collapsed material.
Source: “Hypogeous necropolis of S’Adde ‘e Asile and Noeddale in Ossi” (in Italian) by Pina Maria Derudas
