An extensive necropolis of the Lombard age has been discovered near the hamlet of Monticello di Fara, located in the municipality of Sarego (Vicenza province) in north-eastern Italy’s Veneto region.
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| The necropolis seen from above [Credit: © Sabap Vr-Ro-Vi] |
The discovery was made, according to the Superintendence of Fine Arts and Landscape Archaeology for the provinces of Verona, Rovigo and Vicenza, during the preventive archaeology activities for the construction of the new primary supply pipeline Montecchio Maggiore-Brendola-Lonigo, aimed at replacing water sources contaminated by PFAS.
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| One of the tombs being excavated [Credit: © Sabap Vr-Ro-Vi] |
It is extraordinarily important because it archaeologically confirms the Lombard presence in the area, until now only hypothesised thanks to the typically Lombard toponym of Fara (from the common Germanic root faran, ‘to travel’) was in fact a group or military detachment that occupied the territory during the phases of migration to gradually create more stable conditions.. In addition, the findings will provide new information on the territory of Vicenza and Veneto in the late ancient and early medieval period.
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| The warrior’s grave [Credit: © Sabap Vr-Ro-Vi] |
The burials, which can be dated between the end of the 6th and the beginning of the 8th century, are arranged around the remains of stone walls. “The most plausible hypothesis is that the necropolis was developed around a place of worship,” explains Claudia Cenci, of the Superintendence of Verona, Rovigo and Vicenza, who is in charge of the excavation. “We need to investigate and clarify what type of building it is, so that we can also discover something more about the Vicenza community of the time and its Christianisation.”
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| Warrior parade shield [Credit: © Sabap Vr-Ro-Vi] |
Among the grave goods, particularly noteworthy are those retrieved from a high-ranking male tomb, consisting of a parade shield, spear, sword, belt buckles, arrows and spurs. “Above all, the presence of a parade shield”, explains Dr Cenci, “shows that we are dealing with a person of high social status. In Veneto, even in other Lombard cemeteries, it is not so common to find this type of weapon, which means that we are dealing with a person of great importance.”
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| Spear and arrow heads found in the warrior’s tomb [Credit: © Sabap Vr-Ro-Vi] |
In another sector of the excavation, a brick kiln was explored, which testifies to the pre-existence of a Roman production settlement dating from the end of the first century AD. Historically, the Lombards created a series of important settlements along the main ancient roads, such as the Via Postumia, the most important road in the area since the 2nd century BC. According to archaeologists, other findings in the hamlet of Monticello di Fara suggest that one of these settlements was located there.
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| One of the excavated graves [Credit: © Sabap Vr-Ro-Vi] |
The materials recovered will now be subjected to restoration, study and conservation. This will make it possible to clarify the chronology of the finds and provide information about the phases and methods of occupation of the territory. The excavated necropolis, in fact, contains burials dating back to at least 2-3 different generations and the analysis of the human remains will shed light on the population dynamics during the migratory flows. “The analysis of the skeletons that have been found,” concludes Dr Cenci, “could be useful for understanding the diet of the inhabitants of this village, their origins and any mixed marriages with indigenous people.”
The hope is that the data collected will soon lead to an exhibition of the findings and a scientific publication.
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