Necropolis of Sos Furrighesos

The necropolis is located in the SW-facing ridge bordering the Pianu Oschiri plateau, the wall of which is raised 20 m, overlooking the valley crossed by Riu Buttule. It includes eighteen domus de janas dug in the rock face, with the exception of Tomb XV, that is located high up on the edge of the same ridge. Simple, one-room, two-room, T-shaped hypogea prevail; no complex and disordered plan designs are found. The first reference to the necropolis was made by Antonio Taramelli (1931), who did not mention of the sculpted, engraved and painted motifs in the tombs, tough. The latter were first reported in 1970 by Ercole Contu. In 1984, Giuseppa Tanda published the data from the excavations completed in 1973-1974: the study of the materials and monuments, and the functional, architectural and decorative-cultural elements. In 2011, the excavation of Tomb XV was completed under the direction of Giuseppina Marras. The necropolis included the highest concentration of figurative motifs of Prehistoric art on the island: there were architectural and/or ritual elements, carved, engraved and painted both inside and outside the tombs. Different chronological phases can be recognized in the decorations: the carved motifs are to be considered contemporary to the excavation of the hypogea, while the hammered motifs date back to four prehistorical and protohistorical phases.

Inside the hypogea, there are pillars, columns, lesenes, relief bands, representations of double pitched and shed roofs, plinths, partitions, benches, and burial beds.

However, the ritual decorations of Tombs II, VI, VIII, IX, XI, XII, XV are of particular interest. The horn-shaped motif is common and featured in different styles, in single or multiple composition, more or less stylized. A false door is engraved in Tombs II, VI and VIII, and painted in Tomb XII. Anthropomorphic figures (Tomb XV), weapons, star and geometric motifs can also be found in the carvings.

Tomb VI

The tomb is located about 3 m from the foot of the ridge. The entrance door to the antechamber is rectangular, featuring a high-relief frame.

The antechamber has a semicircular plan, flat ceiling and floor, walls jutting out the inside of the room. A slightly raised plinth appears at the foot of the walls. The front door is decorated by two lesenes showing traces of red.

The door in the back wall leads to the next chamber. A bull bas-relief protome having a convex section and painted in red rests on top of it. The decoration shows the trapezoidal head with a sub-ellipsoidal snout, horns and semi-ellipsoidal ears. The rounded-tipped horns (Type I, Variety 1) bend upwards and merge with the ceiling.

The following chamber is semicircular and has a slightly concave ceiling and a plinth at the foot of the walls, a raised lesene and a step. Two partitions can be seen on the floor. In the back wall, there is a false quadrangular door flanked by a flat relief frame.

The materials uncovered during the excavation date back to a period of time ranging from the Ozieri culture to the Bonnanaro culture.