Acropoli e necropoli sannitica di Campo Consolino

The Campo Consolino plateau above Alfedena preserves the fortified settlement of Samnite Aufidena and a large necropolis on the slope below.

Why it matters

The acropolis and cemetery together provide important evidence of Samnite settlement and funerary customs in the upper Sangro valley. Excavations beginning in the late nineteenth century helped establish the importance of Samnite archaeology in the region.

What to notice

The plateau retains sections of heavy dry-stone fortification. On the slope below, rows of tombs contain evidence of burial practices and grave goods, including weapons, bronze ornaments and amber jewellery.

Context and history

Aufidena occupied the hill above modern Alfedena. Antonio De Nino and Lucio Mariani investigated the necropolis in the 1890s, followed by further excavations in the twentieth century. Around 1,500 tombs have been excavated, and material from the site is preserved in the local museum.