The Phoenicians settled on a site occupied by ancient temples, as we know from the domus de janas between the hypogeum necropolis and the tophet, and the traces of Monte Claro culture, so typical of the Copper Age. One vase of an extremely ancient culture (dating back to two thousand years before the Phoenicians, in the third millennium B.C.!) can be distinguished In tomb 207 (fig. 1): the burial of a native or more likely, an ancient “Monte Claro” tomb has been hypothesised, respected in the times of the set up of the Phoenician necropolis.

There are several Nuragic age materials coming from Monte Sirai: in addition to the lost-wax bronze cast figure of a dog, found in the temple of Astarte, not far from the pre-existing Nuragic tower and probably connected with it, there are several ceramic items from the Nuragic age and new types that indicate the cultural merging of Phoenician and Nuragic groups. It can be seen well in the nearby Sirai nuraghe:

Figs. 1-2 - Monte Claro vase from tomb 207 (BOTTO 2014, fig. 7); container with bent handles from the southern sector of the acropolis (GUIRGUIS 2013, fig. 4).

For example, with the tray from tomb 32 (fig. 3), associated with Phoenician jugs, a mug (Tomb 158, fig. 4, c, left), a small amphora from tomb 253 (fig. 4, B), a pot with bent handles from the southern sector of the acropolis (fig. 2).

Figs. 3-4 - Nuragic pot from tomb 232 (BARTOLONI 1983, fig. 11, c-d); native local containers of mixed culture from tombs 253 and 158 (GUIRGUIS 2012b, fig. 3).