Besides the circle necropolis of Li Muri in Arzachena, the expression of an early manifestation of the so-called megalithic phenomenon of European origin, during the Neolithic phases of San Ciriaco (3400-3200 B.C.) and San Michele of Ozieri (3200-2850 B.C.) other examples of different types of burials are known (fig. 1): single or multiple burials in pits dug in the ground, sometimes even under the floor of the hut, collective burials in natural caves and ossuaries, domus de janas, dolmen and mixed tombs.

Fig. 1 - Dolmen of Monte Maone, Benetutti (photo by E. Atzeni).

Burials are classified as primary or secondary: primary indicates a burial where the body is not moved to another location, secondary burials occur when the body is moved from the place of death. In Gallura the phenomenon of underground burials (fig. 2), commonly attributed to agricultural-type communities, is only documented sporadically and is limited to the more marginal areas (Domus de Janas of Lu Calteri in Trinità d'Agultu, Tisiennari in Bortigiadas, and San Lorenzo and Solità in Budoni), while they are completely absent in the area of Arzachena, where another example of megalithic funerary architecture prevails instead, that of dolmen, anthropologically connected to human groups of sheperds (fig. 3).

Fig. 2 - Engravings on the NW wall of cell D of the Domus de Janas of Tisiennari in Bortigiadas (from http://www.isoladisardegna.com/gallura/bortigiadas_file/image001.jpg).

Fig. 3 - Dolmen Li Casacci in Arzachena (from MANCINI 2010, p. 24).