Perched along a limestone cliff overlooking the wild landscapes of Gerrei, the Fossada domus de janas in Escalaplano defy the traditional canons of Sardinian pre-Nuragic funerary architecture. Instead of following one another docilely along a single horizontal axis, as occurs in most of the island's hypogeum complexes, the ancient burials of the site climb the rock following a markedly vertical and staggered development.
The true peculiarity of the complex is grasped by observing the distribution of the entrances carved by the Late Neolithic communities. Some doorways open directly at ground level, while other openings with precise squared geometries stand out higher up, carved mid-air into the living wall to exploit every nook and cranny and elevation change of the rocky outcrop. This bold management of volumes transforms the ridge into a scenic multi-story rock-hewn facade, where each internal environment preserves the deep spiritual bond with the cult of ancestors and the historical memory of the territory.
The proximity to the homonymous spring and the country church of San Giovanni further enriches the value of this hidden area, completing the tale of a millennia-long occupation that has profoundly marked the identity and landscape of Escalaplano.
