“Secrets of the Past: Construction Workers Stumble Upon a Breathtaking Ancient Punic Necropolis in Sardinia!”
While the full extent of the necropolis may never be revealed due to the heavy concentration of structures nearby, experts hope to learn as much as they can about the people who lived and died in the area more than 2,400 years ago.
Construction Workers Discover Ancient Human Remains In Sardinia
In February 2025, construction workers were beginning a project to install a gas line alongside a busy road in Sestu, Sardinia, when they dug up an amphora containing human bones. They immediately turned off their bulldozer and alerted the supervising archaeologist, who brought in additional experts to investigate.
Over the past month, five additional amphorae have been recovered, at least some of which had bones inside. The excavation is led by Enrico Trudu from the Archaeological Superintendence of Cagliari, who specializes in the Phoenician-Punic era.
PorràOne of the amphorae unearthed during excavations.
Speaking to L’Unione Sarda, Trudu said, “We are still in the excavation phase, but I can confirm that in several places contexts have emerged that can clearly be ascribed to a Punic necropolis.”
Trudu explained that the six amphorae were “enchytrismos” burials, a method commonly seen in Punic settlements — and they likely held the bones of infants or young children.
A Punic Necropolis Used For Children’s Burials
“In the enchytrismos burials, the amphora was used as a case, a sort of coffin that could contain both children’s and adults’ bodies,” Trudu told L’Unione Sarda. “In some of those we recovered there were human bones, bones that were also found in various places around. There is no doubt that the context is funerary. There is also a pit that we are going to investigate, as we are working along the entire trench starting from the most exposed points that we will then expand.”
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