Necropoli longobarda di Vicenne

The early medieval necropolis of Vicenne lies in the plain below Campochiaro. Its burials provide evidence of a community whose equipment and funerary practices connect Lombard Italy with traditions extending into eastern Europe and the steppe.

Why it matters

Some graves contained a rider and horse together, an unusual feature in the Italian archaeological record. These burials complicate any simple division between local and migrant populations, pointing instead to varied cultural traditions within a Lombard political setting.

What to notice

The excavated evidence includes weapons, belt fittings, horse harness and stirrups. Jewellery, glass beads and combs accompany other members of the community. The objects illuminate differences in burial treatment as well as connections in craft and personal display. They are archaeological finds, not furnishings remaining exposed in open graves.

Context and history

The cemetery dates to the seventh and eighth centuries and is distinct from nearby Morrione. Its interpretation has been compared with Paul the Deacon's account of Bulgar settlers under Alzeco in the Lombard south. That historical parallel offers context, but does not identify every person buried at Vicenne with a named group or individual.