Riflessioni sullo sviluppo degli spazi funerari nell'Abruzzo interno in età preromana (con un'appendice di Ferreri S.L.)

The “circle/tumulus” grave type was widespread in the Middle-Adriatic area from almost the Late Bronze Age to the Archaic period, and was mainly used for adult burials. Some of the best known examples of this type are located in what is now the Abruzzo region; for instance at Fossa, Comino di Guardiagrele, Scurcola Marsicana, Campovalano and also in the Cicolano area (Latium), at Corvaro di Borgorose. This article seeks to define the various features of this grave pattern, which was connected to single burials (in many cases re-used for other and more recent ones) or also for a considerable number of graves, created over a long period as monuments for family groups. This subject is exemplified by the results of two recent excavations in the necropolises of Fontanelle (at Capestrano) and Il Piano (Navelli) in the L’Aquila region, carried out by the University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara (DiSPUTER). Both sites revealed the presence of a funerary network organized in circular groups of fossa pits, which can be interpreted as traces of tumuli, much disturbed by agricultural work; they were detected applying remote-sensing open source methods, using satellite pictures (see the Appendix of S.L. Ferreri).
These two sites were both used from the end of the 7th century B.C. (the necropolis at Fontanelle until the 3-2nd century B.C., the one at Navelli, probably until the 4th century B.C.) by groups which reflected the typical social organization of Middle-Adriatic peoples, with strong self-representation as warriors for adult males, and as household wealth bearers for women.