Samnite burials of children with bronze warrior belts found

"The excavation ultimately unearthed 34 burials, 15 of them belonging to children between two and ten years old when they died. The graves are clustered in groups, probably reflecting family nuclei. Most the grave types are earthen pits covered with roof tiles angled against each other."

"Only three break that mold: stone box tombs, two constructed of travertine blocks and one of tufa blocks. These were expensive materials, indicating the deceased were wealthy and likely of higher social rank."

"Uncharacteristically, the bronze belts usually found in the graves of adult men, were only found in the graves of two children between five and 10 years old. These were not just regular belts."

Excavations at Pontecagnano Faiano in southwestern Italy uncovered 34 burials from a Samnite necropolis dating to the 4th-3rd centuries B.C., including 15 children aged two to ten years old. The graves were clustered in family groups, mostly consisting of earthen pits covered with roof tiles, though three expensive stone box tombs indicated higher social status. Burials contained typical Samnite grave goods including weapons for men, jewelry for women, and pottery vessels for funerary rituals. Notably, bronze warrior belts—typically found only in adult male graves—were discovered in the graves of two children aged five to ten, suggesting these young individuals held unusual status or ritual importance within their society.

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