Janas: Meaning and Origin

It all started when…

I was looking for a business name and logo that could better describe the purpose of my work. Something from my past along with something new, a holistic symbol of healing and positive energy. 

The name Janas means fairies in Sardinian language. In Sardinia (Italy) the island where I was born and raised has more or less a thousand of fairies’s house scattered throughout the territory called Domus De Janas (the fairies’s house).

These incredible structures explains what their function consisted of in the past, the most important can still be visited today.

What the archeologist says.These buildings are suppose to be funeral caves carved into the rock. In ancient times they were used by the populations who inhabited Sardinia to bury the dead. These were positioned in a fetal position next to their belongings that were believed to be useful in the afterlife. The particular characteristic of these Domus consists in the fact that they are real miniatures of the houses where the ancient Sardinian civilization lived.

What the legend says. These dwellings were once inhabited by the Janas, small women who, according to the various local versions, are fairies or witches. They are the protagonists of many folk tales that are part of the island’s cultural tradition. They dwell precisely in these buildings carved into the rock and come out during the night. The Domus also have a particular excavation in the rocks which consists of two rooms connected by an opening of less than a yard, just like the main entrance. Water from a nearby source enters the rooms and according to a popular tradition, not only is the water safe for drinking, but it also heals pain. Some Domus have decorations on the walls such as engravings of magic symbols, like the bull heads which represent rebirth, the circles on red paint representing life and positive energy. 

I believe my logo is like a tree of life which contains all these elements: the trunk is actually a bullhead as strength and energy,  and the crown is made by circles of life and healing waves.