WARLORDS AND WARBANDS

In 1977, Italian archaeologists conducted a rescue excavation in an Italic necropolis established by the Umbri in the middle of the sixth century BC and used for about 150 years. The 77 tombs were organized into rough circles, an arrangement that distinguished the burial places of individual families or gentes (clans).

By Ross Cowan

The most important grave in this northern Umbrian outpost at Montericco belonged to a warrior. The man was buried in a wooden coffin. Estimating the size of the skeleton from the scale in the excavation report, he may have stood about 5’ 5” tall. This would be considered small nowadays but was a respectable height in archaic Italy. Important grave goods were placed around the deceased in the interior of the coffin. Directly above his head were two wine jugs, one Etruscan, the other Greek. The latter was Attic and decorated with a scene of Hercules defeating an Amazon. To the left of his skull was an Attic wine cup painted with scenes of a warrior departing for battle. Between the wine cup and the wall of the coffin were a…

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Ancient Warfare (Digital) - 1 Issue, AW XV.5

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