9 May 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Ancient skeletons buried with gold jewelry and expensive leather shoes found in newly discovered Roman necropolis in Italy

Archaeologists involved in a two-year-long excavation project at the site of a planned solar energy plant ancient city of Tarquinia, north of Rome, have unearthed an ancient Roman necropolis containing 67 skeletons buried in 57 ornate tombs.

Early testing suggests the tombs and their occupants date back to the second through fourth centuries AD.

This cemetery was undoubtedly reserved for wealthy and powerful Roman elites. The well-preserved skeletons were dressed in gold jewelry and fancy leather footwear, and their tombs appear to have been designed to resemble the architecture of their earthly homes (smaller in scale).

“We found several skeletons still wearing their expensive stockings and shoes,” lead excavation archaeologist Emanuele Giannini, who works for the private archaeological firm Eos Arc, told CNN. “All these riches, and the fact that the bones show no sign of stress or physical labor, [leads us to believe] these weren’t local farmers, but upper-crust members of Roman families coming from cities.”

The artifacts unearthed at the Roman necropolis included valuable jewelry. Photo: Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti Paesaggio Etruria Meridionale

Although the region is known for such finds, the discovery, which took place on a 52-acre plot of land near the ancient city of Tarquinia, north of Rome, surprised the authorities. They simply had no idea that a cemetery reserved for aristocrats would have been located where it was, given the lack of any historical reference.

The collection of luxurious goods buried with the deceased individuals was extremely impressive. Among the highlights were silver rings with amber and engraved initials, amulets containing precious stones, many pieces of terracotta pottery, Roman coins of different values, shiny glass objects, and even some still-preserved items of clothing.

Photo: Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti Paesaggio Etruria Meridionale

Archaeologists believe that the occupants wanted to recreate heavenly spaces similar to their earthly homes based on the diversity of funerary objects found near the remains and the luxurious designs and linings inside the tombs. Many tombs used to have elaborate cloth linings or were surrounded and covered by tiles or terracotta pieces that looked like little houses.

The skeletal remains were found very close to the surface of the earth, buried at a depth of approximately 20 inches (50 cm). Most of the discovered graves were communal graves, probably built for at least two people who shared the same family connection. Several skeletons were also found wrapped together.

Photo: Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti Paesaggio Etruria Meridionale

The site’s unique state of preservation has been attributed to the fact that “huge limestone blocks that stick out of the ground (made) plowing, seeding, and modern farming impossible in the area,” said Giannini. “It has remained untouched (for) centuries.”

Authorities are certain more hidden wonders will come to light as digs for the solar park move to another nearby site. The area where the necropolis has been discovered will not form part of the solar park and will be cordoned off for safety reasons, without public access.

Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti Paesaggio Etruria Meridionale

Related Articles

Drone Mapping Reveals Shockingly Huge Size of 3,000-Year-Old Caucasus Settlement

11 January 2025

11 January 2025

Using drone mapping, an academic from Cranfield University in the UK has revealed that Dmanisis Gora, a 3,000-year-old mountainside fortress...

The Largest Medieval Coins Treasure found in Recent Decades discovered in Germany

16 August 2024

16 August 2024

Archaeologists have unearthed one of the largest medieval coin hoards, consisting of approximately 1,600 coins, in recent years in the...

A burial complex and an Ancient Dog Statue have been unearthed during excavations in Appio Latino quarter the Rome

8 January 2022

8 January 2022

Workers laying pipes for utility company Acea at Via Luigi Tosti in Rome’s Appio Latino quarter have unearthed an ancient...

Archaeologists Discovered a Fragmentary Inscription in Cypriot Syllabary Found Dating to the Cypro-Archaic Period

1 December 2024

1 December 2024

During excavations at Palaepaphos, located within the municipal boundaries of the modern village of Kouklia-Martsello on the southwest coast of...

Turkish researchers use Artificial Intelligence to read cuneatic Hittite tablets

9 January 2023

9 January 2023

Thanks to a project implemented in Türkiye, 1,954 ancient Hittite tablets are being read for the first time using artificial...

Unique Two-Faced Gold Ring Unearthed in Poland

10 February 2024

10 February 2024

A gold ring with an unusual two-faced design, likely to be from the 11th or 12th century, has been discovered...

İnscriptions in Turkey is Showing How Romans Tackled İnflation

21 March 2021

21 March 2021

The largest marble city in the world, located in western Turkey in the province of Muğla, draws attention with large...

19 funerary tombs from Roman times were discovered in Tartus, Syria

27 May 2022

27 May 2022

During search and excavation operations in the archaeological area of Amrit in Tartus, Syria, a joint excavation team from the...

An archaeological dig at Govan Old Churchyard revealed a remarkable new find: an early medieval ‘Govan Warrior’ stone

19 September 2023

19 September 2023

An archaeological excavation in the churchyard at Govan Old Parish Church in Glasgow, a port city on the River Clyde...

The ancient city of Karkamış “House of the Seal” brings a different perspective to the Hittite-Assyrian relations with its important finds

6 May 2022

6 May 2022

Historical artifacts discovered during excavations by Turkish and Italian teams in the ancient city of Karkamış (Carchemish) in southern Gaziantep...

Archeologists Unearth Spectator snacks from the Roman Period in Colosseum

28 November 2022

28 November 2022

An excavation of the Colosseum’s sewer systems has uncovered a selection of spectator snacks from the Roman Period. It appears...

One-of-a-kind 1000- years-old gold earring found in Denmark

13 December 2021

13 December 2021

A metal detectorist in Denmark uncovered a one-of-a-kind piece of 11th-century gold jewelry that had never been seen in Scandinavia...

Stone-arched tunnel discovered near Achaemenid dam in southern Iran

4 February 2022

4 February 2022

A cultural heritage protection team has recently discovered a stone-arched tunnel located near an Achaemenid embankment dam in southern Iran....

Archaeologists Uncover Asini’s Hidden Ancient Port Beneath the Waves of Greece

11 March 2025

11 March 2025

An international team of underwater archaeologists has made a groundbreaking discovery at the submerged site of Asini, near Tolo in...

Researchers find evidence of the destruction of the Second Temple at the hands of Roman soldiers

29 July 2023

29 July 2023

Israeli researchers find evidence of the destruction of the Second Temple at the hands of Roman soldiers. The discovery of...