PONTECAGNANO FAIANO, ITALY—La Brújula Verde reports that the excavation of a necropolis in southwestern Italy by researchers from the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape for the Provinces of Salerno and Avellino has revealed 34 Samnite burials dated to between the fourth and third centuries B.C. The graves were grouped by family, and most of them consisted of a pit covered with tiles arranged like a small roof. Two of the burials had chambers lined with travertine blocks, while another had a tufa chamber. Graves holding the remains of men also contained spearheads or javelin points. Rings and brooches for fastening garments were recovered from women’s tombs. Fifteen of the 34 burials contained the remains of children under the age of 10. Two of these child burials contained bronze belts, items usually reserved for male warriors. In the case of the children, the bronze belts may reflect family status or hereditary rank, the researchers concluded. For more on the Samnites, go to "Surveying Samnium."
