Necropoli della Breda

The Necropoli della Breda preserves early-medieval burials north of Iseo's old centre. Seven stone-built graves remain in a small green area, recalling a cemetery used in the sixth and seventh centuries.

Why it matters

The burial ground provides evidence for the communities living around Iseo after the Roman period. Its different grave types show that funerary construction was not uniform.

What to notice

The box graves combine stone slabs, fragments of Roman brick and pebbles bonded with small amounts of mortar or earth. Their outlines narrow towards the feet, and their covers were roughly worked monolithic slabs. The graves are oriented east–west, with the excavated occupants placed on their backs and their heads towards the west.

Context and history

Railway work uncovered burials in 1885, probably from this cemetery. Excavation in 1981 revealed eleven graves: seven box constructions, two tile-covered graves and two earth-cut pits. Pottery fragments and an iron buckle help place the burials in the sixth and seventh centuries.