At first sight, it is a ‘normal’ cone of volcanic origin, which stands out in front of the residential area of a town in Lower Campidano, but in reality it contains various Domus de Janas – two with an original appearance -, a monumental flight of steps that leads to a sacred area and a few villages, one of which is the protagonist of a sensational and controversial discovery. Monte Zara is one of the mountains that ‘protect’ the territory of Monastir to the east, while next to it runs state road SS 131 ‘Carlo Felice’, the arterial road that crosses the entire Island. From the road, proceeding towards Cagliari, you can see two adjacent cavities, located on the northern side: they are the Domus de Janas known as is Ogus de su monti, or ‘eyes of the mountain’. These are two tombs side-by-side but independent, with a well-sculpted entrance portal, antechamber and funerary cell.

On the northern side, there are another four tombs: one still has the main chamber only; the second, which originally had a well-entrance, reveals a niche and a counter inside the cell; the third tomb also seems to have a well entrance; while the fourth is larger in size and perhaps contained two counters. Another group of scattered domus occupies the southern slope of the mountain. The tombs date back to between the end of the Neolithic and the beginning of the Eneolithic periods, between the 4th and 3rd millennium BC.

At the top of the mountain, you will see a flight of 60 steps carved out of the rock, leading to two rock altars, with two wells nearby. Then, further downstream, on the western slope, lies the village of Bia ‘e Monti. The settlement, dating back to the 9th century BC, includes around forty circular huts and quadrangular buildings. The largest circular building revealed a millstone, an oven, earthenware with traces of oil and, above all, an artefact resembling a wine press, which contained traces of tartaric acid. The substance is produced during the pressing of grapes and therefore appears to bear witness to the production of wine in Monte Zara during the Nuragic age. Others, however, consider it to be a model of a nuraghe used for religious purposes.

Necropolises and villages were abandoned for several centuries and Monte Zara was frequented again for religious and funerary purposes in the Punic age and then the Roman period, during which a defensive wall was built. On the nearby hill of is Aruttas you can explore another necropolis, made up of five Domus de Janas dug out of a granite block. There is a leap from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages in just a few dozen metres: the adjacent peak of Mount Olladiri contains the remains of the Castle of Baratuli. A strategic position and difficult access made it very important between the 12th and 14th centuries. Among its owners, there was also the Pisan Gherardesca family, the same family that owned the Castle of Acquafredda in Siliqua.