ROME, ITALY—Wanted in Rome reports that medieval burials were unearthed during utility work on the Via del Governo Vecchio in central Rome. The graves had been damaged by previous construction projects. The first burial contained the remains of a 25- to 30-year-old woman, and a 30- to 40-year-old man. The woman was buried with a shell in her hand. A bronze coin dating to the late eleventh or early twelfth century and shell fragments were also found in the grave. The second burial site consists of several graves set against a brick wall thought to be associated with the Church of St. Cecilia at Monte Giordano, which was built in A.D. 1123 and demolished in the early seventeenth century. Scallop shells with drilled holes found in these graves were typically worn as necklaces by pilgrims, suggesting that Christians who died while making a pilgrimage to St. Peter’s Basilica may have been buried here. To read about the grave of a presumed outlaw in eleventh-century Sicily, go to "Stabbed in the Back."
Medieval Burials Uncovered in Central Rome
News October 23, 2019
Recommended Articles
Artifacts May/June 2024
Medieval Iron Gauntlet
Digs & Discoveries January/February 2023
Storming the Castle
Letter from Germany September/October 2022
Berlin's Medieval Origins
In the midst of modern construction, archaeologists search for evidence of the city’s earliest days
Digs & Discoveries May/June 2022
First Falconer
-
Features September/October 2019
Minaret in the Mountains
Excavations near a 12th-century tower reveal the summer capital of a forgotten Islamic empire
(Courtesy Minaret of Jam Archaeological Project) -
Letter from Lake George September/October 2019
Exploring the Great Warpath
Evidence from forts, hospitals, and taverns in upstate New York is illuminating the lives of thousands of British soldiers during the French and Indian War
(Jerry Trudell the Skys the Limit/Getty Images) -
Artifacts September/October 2019
Roman Coin
(Courtesy MOLA Headland) -
Digs & Discoveries September/October 2019
The Case for Clotilda
(Courtesy SEARCH inc)