Illorai, Necropolis of Molia

The burials are located along the slope of a tuff hill, in the Goceanarium, a region of central-northern Sardinia.
The necropolis is inserted in a larger archaeological context that includes a village of dry and fortified masonry huts - located a few hundred meters away - and a megalithic circle (diameter 3.00 m) about 600 m away.
The funerary complex includes nine domus de janas with variously articulated planimetric developments. Tomb I is multicellular and has eleven consecutive cells. It consists of a “dromos” - oriented to SE (length m 24) - that leads to an anticell with a semicircular plan of considerable size (diameter 10.50 m); the room has walls and floors painted red. From the next cell, there is access - through three separate entrances - to 9 other smaller cells, all with a quadrangular plan; the presence of a funeral counter and a niche should be highlighted. Tomb IV, located below the overpass, is multicellular and with coaxial environments; it shows an E-oriented “dromos”, which leads to a semicircular anticell. From the next quadrangular cell you can access a larger cell.
Of Tomb V, it is difficult to determine exactly what the planimetric development was originally: the burial was in fact damaged by landfill work. However, it is still possible to identify a large “dromos”, oriented to SE, from which you could access the anticell with a semicircular plan and a larger quadrangular cell. The room was accompanied by three other subsidiary rooms. Tomb VI has a “dromos” and two subsequent cells, one with a quadrangular plan, the other not definable in plan because it has been almost completely destroyed. Tomb VII has a multicellular plan and rooms that are particularly refined and decorated with architectural elements. From the “dromos” and the subsequent anticell - of an indeterminable shape - there is access to another 15 subsidiary rooms, with a rectangular or quadrangular plan, distributed in a harmonious and balanced way.
The walls of the rooms also have decorative architectural elements - such as lintels made in flat relief, pilasters, numerous funeral counters saved in the rock, arched doors and double frames - and traces of red color on the walls and on the floor.
Tomb VIII has a multicellular planimetric development, with at least 12 environments arranged irregularly. The last hypogeum, Tomb IX, almost completely destroyed, has a multicellular system, with 10 quadrangular rooms.
The domus are dated between the late Neolithic (culture of Ozieri, 3200-2800 BC) and the Eneolithic.

History of excavations
The tombs were discovered in 1976, following clearing work for the construction of the Ottana-Cantoniera Iscra road. Two excavation campaigns followed, by Giuseppa Tanda, in 1976 and 1977-78.

Bibliography
G. Tanda, “Notiziario”, in Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche, 1977, pp. 360-366;
G. Tanda, “Some Considerations on the Archaeological Site of Molia-lllora (SS)”, in Bolotanesi Notebooks, 6, 1980, pp. 63-77; G. Tanda, “Chemical-mineralogical analysis of a painted wall sample from the Domus de Janas I of Molia-Illorai”, in Journal of Prehistoric Sciences, XXXVI, 1-2, 1981, pp. 291-300 G. From, “Illorai” (Sassari). Loc. Molia”, in I Sardi, Sardinia from the Paleolithic to the Roman Age, edited by E. Anati, Milan, Jaca Book, 1984, pp. 275-277;
G.M. Demartis, “Some observations on the domus de janas reproducing the roof of the house of the living”, in New Sardinian Archaeological Bulletin, 1, 1984, pp. 9, 17; G. Tanda-A. Mura-G. Pittui, “Itinerary No. 1 - Illorai, necropolis at Domus de Janas di Molina”, in Goceanarium. The signs of the past, exhibition catalog, Sassari, Chiarella, 1992, pp. 109-113.

How to get there
You leave Illorai in the direction of Nuoro, until you meet the Provincial road n. 153; you head south, towards Ottana. After crossing State Road 129, from Macomer to Nuoro, you continue again in the direction of Ottana for about 2.5 km, until you border the area where the necropolis is excavated.