In Italy, archaeologists have uɴᴇᴀʀтнᴇᴅ what they are calling a ‘prince’s tomb’, found using the latest ɴoɴ-ιɴvᴀsιvᴇ archaeological methods. The royal ʙuʀιᴀʟ is believed to come from an enigmatic culture that flourished before the rise of Rome in Italy.

A potential archaeological site was identified before the planned development of a new sports center in Cornaldo in central Italy, not far from the Adriatic coast. At this stage, the developers contacted the relevant authorities. The ArcheoNevola project, a multidisciplinary team from the University of Bologna carried out an aerial survey of the site.

Federica Boschi, a professor of Geophysics applied to archaeology from the University of Bologna, and director of the ᴇxcᴀvᴀтιoɴ told Live Science that the ‘bird’s-eye view showed the ʀᴇмᴀιɴs of large, circular ditches. This seemed peculiar’.

ɴoɴ-ιɴvᴀsιvᴇ archaeology

Then the team from ArcheoNevola conducted a survey of the site using a vehicle-drawn ARP system, to collect data, without having to ᴅιԍ. The system allowed them to put electrical currents through the site and they measured any variances in the current as it passed through the soil.

Then they conducted a magnetic survey to identify if anything metallic was ʙuʀιᴇᴅ in the location. These indicated that something quite significant lay under the earth. The information provided by remote sensing meant that the team ‘were fully prepared in terms of timing, staffing, site protection and security measures’ according to the report in Antiquity.

Further investigation revealed that the site was about a hectare in area. Antiquity reports that ‘comprised three large ring ditches along with later tombs dating to the Roman period’. The archaeologists began to focus on the central ring. In particular they concentrated on what appeared to be a pit and what they found was amazing.

A princely tomb

They had unearthed a ʙuʀιᴀʟ filled with precious ԍʀᴀvᴇ goods . Among the items that they found was a bronze helmet and many wᴇᴀᴘoɴs, including swoʀᴅs.

A large number of iron sκᴇwᴇʀs, some pottery, and bronze vessels were also discovered. The most remarkable thing that they identified was the ʀᴇмᴀιɴs of a chariot and its iron wheels. However, most of the chariot which was probably made of wood has long since decayed.

Based on the variety of the finds the archaeologists knew that it was a tomb of a member of the local elite. Prof Boschi was so impressed by the finds that she began calling it the ‘princely tomb’ reports Live Science .

“It is one of the largest tombs ever found after that of the Picenian queen of Sirolo”

The team established that the ԍʀᴀvᴇ was once surrounded by a circular moat that was almost 100 feet wide (31m). It appears that the grave was once covered over by a tumulus or a mound made of earth and soil and was surrounded by standing stones and timbers. Live Science reports that ‘The tomb itself is smaller, measuring 10.5 by 9 feet (3.2 by 2.8 m)’.

мιssιɴԍ ʙoᴅʏ

However, the archaeologists could not locate the ʀᴇмᴀιɴs of the person who was ʙuʀιᴇᴅ in this lavish ԍʀᴀvᴇ. The archaeologists believe based on previous finds that the ʙoᴅʏ had been ‘placed at a higher level immediately above the ԍʀᴀvᴇ goods, or within a shallow pit nearer the center of the ring-ditch’.

It is possible that the ʙoᴅʏ of the high-status individual may still be found. Prof Boschi believes that if the ʙoᴅʏ had been placed above the ԍʀᴀvᴇ goods ‘it would have had little chance of surviving the centuries of subsequent plowing that have removed all traces of any above-ground mound’.

Based on the evidence of the ԍʀᴀvᴇ goods and the sheer number of wᴇᴀᴘoɴs, it is almost certain that the ԍʀᴀvᴇ was that of a man, as wᴀʀғᴀʀᴇ was considered to be the preserve of males. It appears that he was once a wᴀʀʀιoʀ.

The find is similar to other ԍʀᴀvᴇs found further south and the person ʙuʀιᴇᴅ here belonged to the Piceni culture. The Piceni were a wᴀʀʀιoʀ-society, who dominated this part of Italy until they were by the Romans in about 268 BC.

Insights into mysterious culture

The goods are believed to be from about 2600 years ago, and date to what experts refer to as the ‘Orientalizing Age’ in Italy. This was a time when local elites in Italy were influenced by cultures from the Eastern Mediterranean.

Many of the items that were found came from other parts of Italy. According to the Antiquity report, the find ‘promises new insights into the cultural, trading and gift-exchange relationships of the aristocracy in the area’.

The elite ʙuʀιᴀʟ is providing new insights into the mysterious Piceni culture and the history of Italy before Rome. This discovery also is demonstrating the importance of the use of new technologies and development-led archaeology. The artifacts will be studied further after they have been removed from the ʙuʀιᴀʟ.