'Princely' Tomb, 150 Precious Artifacts Uncovered by Archaeologists in Italy

Archaeologists have discovered the tomb of a prince at a 7th-century B.C. necropolis in Central Italy , containing around 150 precious artifacts —including a chariot.

Knewz.com has learned that the discovery was made as part of a research conducted by the Department of History Cultures Civilization at the University of Bologna.

The excavation project, named ArcheoNevola, began in 2018 in collaboration with the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape (SABAP) for the provinces of Ancona – the province where the Necropolis is located – and Pesaro Urbino.

The Municipality of Corinaldo has also been involved in the six-year-long project.

In 2018, the project led to the discovery of what archaeologists called the “Tomb of the Prince of Corinaldo.”

Recent excavation efforts at the Corinaldo Necropolis uncovered a “quadrangular pit” with an area of roughly 84 square feet, within a bigger circular ditch with a diameter of around 100 feet.

Inside was a treasure trove of ancient Italian artifacts, including “a prestigious set of bronze objects.”

Several of the objects discovered at the site have been attributed to lavish banquets, like an iron axe and a bundle of skewers that were likely used to prepare meat for guests.

In addition, archaeologists have found decorated pottery for containing and serving food and drinks.

A statement by the Corinaldo Municipality pointed out that these finds suggest the owner of the tomb was a “celebrated character” and a “figure of the highest level,” most likely a prince.

“Of particular note is the presence of a two-wheeled chariot and a prestigious set of bronze objects, including a helmet, a cauldron, and numerous finely decorated containers,” the statement mentioned.

Many of the artifacts discovered in the newly uncovered “princely” tomb originated in the Etruscan civilization, which flourished along Central Italy between the 8th and 3rd Centuries B.C.

The Corinaldo Necropolis is associated with the Piceni populace – also known as the Picentes, or Picentini – of ancient Italy who settled in the regions that are currently known as Marche and Abruzzo.

The ancient Italian settlement thrived from the 9th to 3rd Centuries B.C. Subsequently, the region was made a part of the Roman Republic.

Both the Etruscans and the Picene are believed to have fallen prey to the ambitious expansion of the Roman Empire almost simultaneously.

Notably, the aristocratic strata of the Picene people maintained trade relations with the Etruscan civilization, which would explain how the artifacts ended up in Corinaldo.

Furthermore, the discovery of Etruscan objects in the recently discovered tomb gives additional validity to the theory that its owner was possibly a prince.

The 2018 excavation of the Prince of Corinaldo’s grave was also accompanied by the discovery of an “extraordinary collection of cultural material,” as stated by Federica Boschi, an archaeologist at the University of Bologna and one of the leaders of the research project.

In the statement released by the Corinaldo Municipality, Mayor Gianni Aloisi called the region “the Land of Princes.”

“A discovery that confirms the historical and cultural value of the Nevola archaeological area that will allow us to know, and perhaps rewrite, the history of our community,” the Mayor stated.