Longobard necropolis emerges on Doss Trento in Northern Italy

A Longobard necropolis with thirteen graves of both adults and children with objects of considerable interest was found on the Doss Trento, a small hill that stands on the right bank of the river Adige in the Italian municipality of Trento, during the works for the redevelopment and expansion of the Historical Museum of the Alps that began in May.

Credit: Il Dolomiti

The funerary structures are rather simple as they consist of simple pits surrounded by stones. The funerary goods, not present in all of the graves, include belt buckles, weapons (swords, daggers) and other items such as brooches, jewellery and bone combs.

Credit: Il Dolomiti

The graves are located in the uppermost section of an archaeological deposit of exceptional interest, still under excavation, characterized by the presence of structural remains of the Early and Final Bronze Age, the Chalcolithic and Neolithic Ages that together cover a chronological range from the fifth to the first millennia BC.

Credit: Il Dolomiti

The dominating position of the Doss Trento over the Adige Valley, in fact, has always attracted the interest of those who sought to control the surrounding territory. The strategic role of the Doss Trento is well documented since Late Antiquity. The famous letter from the beginning of the sixth century AD sent by Theodoric to all the Goths and Romans "who live around the castle of Verruca" urging them to fortify themselves against potential threats is a case in point.

Credit: Il Dolomiti

The presence of substantial archaeological finds spanning several periods has been known since the second half of the 19th century. At that time, on the occasion of the construction of military installations by the Austrian authorities, important archaeological discoveries were made.

Credit: Il Dolomiti

Francesco Ranzi, who is supervising the excavations, cites the discovery of tombs and architectural elements from the Roman era during the excavations for the construction of a powder magazine.

Credit: Il Dolomiti

However, the Doss Trento also saw a religious presence. Proof of this was the discovery of a Paleo-Christian church probably dating back to the fifth century AD and which remained in use until at least the seventh century AD. Ranzi believes that the Longobard graves are to be associated with this church.

The excavations are being carried out by the Archaeological Heritage Office of the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage of the Autonomous Province of Trento.

Source: Il Dolomiti [October 13, 2018]