Italy has formally submitted the domus de janas—prehistoric rock-cut tombs unique to Sardinia—for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Italy’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Ambassador Liborio Stellino, made the announcement during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee.
The domus de janas (literally “houses of the fairies” or “witches”) are monumental funerary structures carved into rock. They date from the Middle Neolithic through to the early Bronze Age—roughly between the fifth and third millennium BCE. They represent a key feature of pre-Nuragic Sardinian civilisation found across the island.
Italy’s application promotes these archaeological sites as evidence of the region’s ancient cultural landscape and as a powerful symbol of the historical connection between people and nature.
“Italy is proud to promote a site that highlights the deep connection between culture, history and territory,” Stellino said, adding that the nomination emphasises harmony between humanity and the environment.
Also read: What are the Domus de Janas?
Better representation of other regions on Heritage List required
During his speech, Stellino also reiterated the importance of ensuring better representation for underrepresented regions on the World Heritage List. He pointed to Italy’s €6 million donation to ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) for a heritage training programme in Africa. Italy is also backing the initiative ‘World Heritage in Africa: Processes and Strategies’, aimed at strengthening conservation skills among African cultural heritage professionals.
The World Heritage Committee, made up of 21 states elected from the 196 signatories to the 1972 Convention, is reviewing 30 new site nominations during this session—24 cultural, five natural, and one mixed.
Italy already has 59 World Heritage Sites, the highest number of any country in the world. If accepted, the domus de janas will be the country’s 60th inscription.
