Archaeologists in Trento, Italy, discovered a 3,000-year-old Iron Age necropolis filled with 200 graves and funerary objects that suggest the deceased held high status in pre-Roman society.
Archivio Ufficio Stampa PATArchaeologists excavating the pre-Roman necropolis found in the northern Italian city of Trento.
During a recent building restoration project in the historic district of Trento, Italy, archaeologists uncovered an ancient necropolis dating back to pre-Roman times. Further excavations have revealed at least 200 burials and a wealth of grave goods dating to the ninth through sixth centuries B.C.E.
Artifacts like weapons and armor hint at trade with neighboring civilizations, while cremated remains found in the graves are providing rare insight into the funerary practices of Alpine societies during the Iron Age.
Archaeologists Discover An Ancient Necropolis In Trento
During a recent project to restore an historic building on Via Santa Croce in the Alpine city of Trento, Italy, workers came across a sprawling ancient necropolis more than 25 feet beneath the current street level. Researchers from the Archaeological Heritage Office of the Autonomous Province of Trento set out to uncover the history of the site — and they were stunned by what they found.
The Iron Age tombs had been undisturbed for more than 2,500 years, likely due to their location. In the first millennium B.C.E., the nearby Fersina Creek flowed through the area, and the necropolis was built on a part of the riverbed that was subject to flooding. As the stream crested its banks over the centuries, silt and sediment sealed the graves, perfectly preserving what was inside.
Archivio Ufficio Stampa PATExcavations unearthed weapons such as spearheads, like the one pictured here.
So far, archaeologists have unearthed 200 graves, many of which contained artifacts that indicated the deceased were high-status individuals. The necropolis was seemingly in use between the ninth and sixth centuries B.C.E., in the midst of the Iron Age.
“The Iron Age is a period of profound transformations from a historical-cultural point of view throughout the Mediterranean, in the Alpine arc and beyond the Alps,” said Superintendent Franco Marzatico, as reported by Finestre sull’Arte. “The great civilizations of the Etruscans, Phoenicians, Greeks, and Celts flourished. These are also the times of the first Olympics, which are traditionally dated to 776 B.C.E., and the foundation of Rome in 753 B.C.E.”
Such a well-preserved necropolis is rare for the time period, particularly in the Alpine region of Italy, and the artifacts inside are now shedding new light on the people who lived in the area nearly 3,000 years ago.
What The Grave Goods From The Necropolis Are Revealing About Iron Age Italy
Archivio Ufficio Stampa PATThe necropolis is full of funerary stelae that served as markers for the tombs.
One of the most striking discoveries from the necropolis is the presence of stelae, the stone columns that mark the tombs. Some of them still tower over seven feet high, and they are organized in rows, each one standing at the head of a stone box covered by a mound.
Within the graves, archaeologists uncovered evidence of funerary traditions like the burning of personal belongings and human bones. Some cremated remains were discovered in containers, while others were once wrapped in fabric that was held together with pins. This suggests that the deceased underwent ritualized treatment before they were buried.
Alongside the remains, researchers found a variety of artifacts, such as bronze weapons, body armor, and metal ornaments inlaid with amber and glass. Some of these relics point to trade between the residents of ancient Trento and nearby civilizations, such as the Etruscans. What’s more, they suggest that the people buried in the necropolis held high status in their society.
Archivio Ufficio Stampa PATPart of a breastplate found in one of the graves.
“This site offers the opportunity to study the elite of a society that, settled in the Trento basin, demonstrated its power and prestige through the deposition of funerary objects of great symbolic value,” said Marzatico, as reported by Archaeology News.
Now, an interdisciplinary research team has plans to conduct an in-depth examination of all of the artifacts unearthed in the necropolis, hopefully revealing more information about the rituals and relationships of Italy’s Iron Age cultures.
After reading about the pre-Roman necropolis found in Trento, Italy, learn about the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Then, discover the history of Baiae, ancient Rome’s party town that now sits underwater.
