The Necropolis of Parma, Via Traversetolo/2
1.
Discovered in 2009, this tomb contained the cremated remains of one or possibly two individuals, along with a terracotta statuette of a couple embracing. The woman, on the left, rests her hand on her husband’s chest, while he drapes his arm over her shoulders, holding a piece of her cloak. Likely a local production from the 1st–2nd century AD, the statuette was meant for funerary use, as similar finds from Roman necropolises in northern Italy suggest.
2.
This cremation tomb, set in an earthen pit, was marked by an amphora with its neck and base removed. Among the grave goods, a small two-handled cup with a yellow-green glaze stands out. Originally an eastern innovation, glazed ceramics were widely imitated in Italy, especially in the Po Valley, between the 1st and 2nd century AD. Other items included a bronze mirror, a pin (fibula), and several glass balsam jars. A small iron shears—possibly used for cutting fabric—hints at the deceased’s trade, while large nails are all that remain of the bed burned on the funeral pyre.
3.
Marked by two amphorae, this burial contained a striking necklace of about twenty “melon” beads in blue glass paste. This bead style, first seen in Pharaonic Egypt, remained popular well into the Middle Ages. Also found in the tomb were a large bronze mirror, bone pins, a lamp with an animal motif (1st–2nd century AD), and a game set with pawns and dice.
4.
The cremated remains were placed inside an amphora, within a pit that also held grave goods and remnants of the funeral pyre. Alongside ceramic banquet vessels and numerous glass and terracotta balsam jars, the burial included a small cup, a yellow glass beaker, and most notably, a delicate glass cup with multicolored ribbons. Crafted from prefabricated glass rods fused in a mold, it was finished with a twisted white-and-blue rim. Three coins and a small bronze scale weight accompanied the deceased, while an upturned amphora neck, placed over the tomb, was used for ritual libations.