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| Necropoli and funerary rites |
The Taverna necropolis
The necropolis, excavated from 1995 to 1997, occupied part of the slope adjacent to the temple area. The 70 tombs excavated range from the 11th-10th century B.C., at the height of the Empire. The traditional burial rite typical of the Italic peoples prevailed throughout this period.
A new funerary custom was introduced in the 2nd century B.C. as a result of Romanisation. This indicated a profound transformation in the mentality and ideologies of the local populations, as this new custom was that of cremation, which involved burning the body and burying the ashes in funerary urns, in simple pits or in holes covered by clay tiles. The wealth of the cremations with respect to the contemporary burials leads us to believe that the new, typically Roman ritual was predominantly popular amongst the higher classes, who distanced themselves from their age-old indigenous traditions, becoming "Romanised" and adapting to the customs and ideologies of their rules in order to receive recognition of their eminent role in society. During this Roman phase, the relatives of the deceased celebrated rites over the tomb, such as ritual pot breaking (clay and glass pots). These rituals needed to be respected in order for the soul of the deceased to survive. |
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