Finds

Burial of Patriga

157 tombs were found in the oriental cemetery area of Columbaris (figs. 1-3), of which only 9 of the "capcuchin” type. That group includes tomb no. 80 formed by roof tiles creating two sloping parts (fig. 4). It is the burial of a young woman who probably died aged 25, about 1.55 cm tall, laid flat with her head towards the East. Traces of coal were found under her knees, hypothesising the custom of lighting ritual fires or that of adding perfumed burned branches to the deposition.

The deceased person's high social ranking is deducible from her clothes and the careful deposition of grave goods in the tomb. In her hair, the woman had a large silver pin (fig. 5), with her name engraved on it — Patriga — and under her head threads of the same metal were found probably referable to the mesh holding up her hair, and the material of a cushion her head would have laid on; a silver and bronze fibula (fig. 6) typical of the VI-VII century which must have been pinned to her chest to close a cloak. Next to her body, a pottery cup dated between the end of the IV and mid V century and a glass unquentarium from the III-VI A.D. Based on data acquired, it was possible to date that deposition between the end of the VI and the VII century A.D. that is during the last period the funerary area was used.

1
Fig. 1 - General plan of the basilica area with indication of Tomb 80 (drawing by C. Cocco, F. Collu, from CUGLIERI I, TAB. A).
2
Fig. 2 - Detail of the general plan of the basilica area with indication of Tomb 80 (drawing by C. Cocco, F. Collu, from CUGLIERI I, TAB. A).
3
Fig. 3 - Map of the Columbaris area highlighting the position of tomb 80 (drawing C. Cocco, F. Collu, from Cornus I,1, p. 200, Tab. II).
4
Fig. 4 - Capuchin tomb 80 (from Cornus I.1, p. 145).
5
Fig. 5 - Silver pin from T. 80 (photo by N. MONARI - R.A.S.).
6
Fig. 6 - Silver and bronze disc fibula from T. 80 (photo by N. MONARI - R.A.S.).







Bibliografia

  • C. AMANTE SIMONI, I corredi altomedievali (II metà del VI-VII secolo), in C. AMANTE SIMONI, R. MARTORELLI, I corredi funerari e la suppellettile metallica. Cultura, Materiali e Fasi Storiche del Complesso Archeologico di Cornus. Primi risultati di una ricerca, in AA.VV., L'archeologia romana e altomedievale nell'Oristanese. Atti del Convegno di Cuglieri (22-23 giugno 1984) = Mediterraneo tardoantico e medievale, Scavi e ricerche, 3, Taranto 1986, pp. 171-177, catalogo nn. 153-154, pp. 187-189.
  • L. DE MARIA, Materiali fittili da costruzione, in AA.VV., L'archeologia romana e altomedievale nell'Oristanese. Atti del Convegno di Cuglieri (22-23 giugno 1984) = Mediterraneo tardoantico e medievale, Scavi e ricerche, 3, Taranto 1986, pp. 191-196.
  • A. M. GIUNTELLA, Note su alcuni aspetti della ritualità funeraria nell’alto medioevo. Consuetudini e innovazioni, in G. P. BROGIOLO, G. WATAGHIN (a cura di), Sepolture tra IV e VIII secolo. 7° Seminario sul tardo antico e l’alto medioevo in Italia centro settentrionale (Gardone Riviera, 24-26 ottobre 1996) = Documenti di archeologia, 6, Mantova 1998, pp. 66-67.
  • A. M. GIUNTELLA, Cornus I.1. L'area cimiteriale orientale = Mediterraneo tardoantico e medievale. Scavi e ricerche, 13. 1, Oristano 1999, pp. 89, 147.
  • A. M. GIUNTELLA, Brevi note sull'area cimiteriale orientale di Cornus (Cuglieri, Provincia di Oristano), in P. G. SPANU (a cura di), con la collaborazione di M. C. OPPO e A. BONINU, Insulae Christi. Il cristianesimo primitivo in Sardegna, Corsica e Baleari = Mediterraneo tardoantico e medievale. Scavi e ricerche 16, Oristano 2002, pp. 245-252.
  • L. PANI ERMINI, Recenti contributi dell’archeologia per la Sardegna paleocristiana e alto medievale, in Atti della Pontificia Accademia romana di archeologia. Rendiconti, LIII, LIV, 1980-1981, 1981-1982 (1984), pp. 221-245.

 

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