Tomb VI of the domus de janas necropolis of Sant’Andrea Priu known as “Tomba del Capo”, was reused for Christian worship in two different periods, reaching the present day as a consecrated church dedicated to Sant'Andrea.

The domus de janas is formed by eighteen rooms; the three largest rooms are arranged in length (fig 1) and underwent considerable transformation during the paleo-Christian, Byzantine and Medieval ages, becoming a narthex, room and presbytery (bimah).

Fig. 1 - “Tomba del Capo”, Byzantine phase (from CAPRARA 1986, page 46).

The inner walls of the bimah contain, starting from the left, some scenes from Jesus’ childhood (fig. 2), together with images of the divine blessing hand (fig. 3), peacocks and the announcement to the shepherds.

Fig. 2 - Frescoes with scenes from Jesus’ life (photo Unicity S.p.A.).

Fig. 3 - The hand of God (photo Unicity S.p.A.).

In the centre, in line with the entrance, there is a painting of the figure of Christ blessing (fig. 4).

Fig. 4 - Christ blessing (photo Unicity S.p.A.).

The figures of five saints, recognised as the apostles due to the names, occupy the right-hand wall, followed by St John the Baptist, the Virgin Mary and other five apostles or saints (figs. 5-6).

Fig. 5 - The figures of the Apostles inside the bimah (photo Unicity S.p.A.).

Fig. 6 - The apostles (photo Unicity S.p.A.).

Another layer of paint has been identified under Christ blessing, similar to the paintings in the central room, connected to a first Christian use of the pre-historic tomb. After this time, for which it is not possible to know if it was used for burial or worship, the area was transformed into a church, that can be seen thanks to images of frescoes in the innermost room.

Representations in the innermost room (bimah) are datable, with some doubt, to the second half of the 8th century A.D.