A team of Italian and
American archaeologists has uncovered the remains of important
antique tombs in an ongoing dig near Ostia Antica.
"We've had amazing finds over the past two years at Parco
dei Ravennati. This year, we've uncovered more than a dozen
early Christian-era tombs arranged close to a central tomb. Our
working hypothesis is that the set up of the surrounding tombs
suggests the person buried here was of great importance, such as
Saint Monica or Saint Aurea, whose church is nearby," Darius
Arya, director of the American Institute for Roman Culture, the
non-profit organization leading the dig, told ANSA.
Parco dei Ravennati is part of the extensive suburban area
surrounding the ancient port city of Ostia Antica.
The tombs' discovery could potentially lead to crucial
information regarding the Ostia area.
"Santa Monica was an early 4th century saint and mother of
St. Augustine. Third century Saint Aurea was the patron saint
of Ostia,", Arya said.
Additionally, several tombs had funerary inscriptions and
archaeologists found a possible tabella defixionum, a lead curse
tablet intended to protect the dead and bring anathema to tomb
desecrators.
Studies remain ongoing, according to Michele Raddi,
excavation co-director, who said "we found a number of
fragmentary inscriptions in the tombs as well as a possible
tabella defixionum, but we need to evaluate its context and see
if it has an inscription".
The excavation site of Parco dei Ravennati covers a 15,000
square meter area where a team of 29 international students, led
by Arya and Raddi, work in three locations.
In 2013, the team uncover an intact opus sectile (inlaid
and colored marble pavement), with this year's excavation
revealing more detail including "central geometric motif which
is extremely refined", according to Germoni.
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