The Necropolis of Parma, Via Traversetolo/1
Discovered in 1999 and excavated in multiple phases until 2009, this necropolis contains hundreds of burials. Given its size, it likely served the Roman city of Parma, located about 3 km away. Most of the graves contain cremated remains, either placed directly in the earth or in simple pits, though some inhumations were found in tile-lined tombs. The graves were marked by amphorae set upright in the ground, with their tops—and sometimes bottoms—removed. These amphorae were also used for pouring offerings of drinks, perfumes, and food for the deceased.
1.
This cremation burial, dating to the 1st century AD, stands out for the large number of ceramic vessels placed alongside the deceased. The grave contained small jars, thin-walled drinking cups, and red-glazed plates and bowls (terra sigillata), some of which show burn marks, possibly from being placed on the funeral pyre. Alongside these banquet vessels, three censers were found—elegantly decorated with engravings, notches on their tall chalice-shaped bases, and wavy patterns on the rim—used to burn aromatic substances in funerary and ritual ceremonies.
2.
This late 1st-century AD burial contained an especially rich and varied set of grave goods. The finds included at least two ceramic cups and a thin-walled drinking vessel, as well as four oil lamps—two with an open spout and two with a volute-shaped nozzle. One lamp features a depiction of a gladiator on its disc. The grave also included small glass perfume bottles (balsamari) and a tiny glass flask with a delicate ribbon-like handle. A coin, minted by Emperor Tiberius in honor of his deified father Augustus, was placed in the grave as payment for the soul’s passage to the afterlife. The most unusual item was a large cowrie shell, long associated with Aphrodite and fertility—its name derives from Cyprus, the goddess’s legendary birthplace. Cowrie shells were also widely used as protective amulets against the “evil eye” (oculus malignus) due to their resemblance to a half-closed eye framed by eyelashes.
3.
In this grave, the cremated remains were placed inside a large ceramic cooking jar. The accompanying grave goods consisted of vessels for libations, including a drinking cup, a two-handled bowl decorated with small raised bumps—both made of fine gray thin-walled pottery—and an elegant glass drinking cup. These items were likely produced in northern Italian workshops between the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.