La Freccia Novembre 2019

fascia rossa. Il timpano della parete settentrionale esibisce
una palmetta con foglie lanceolate in rosso e nero. Il letto
funebre, costituito da due lastroni di tufo, è posizionato sul
lato lungo occidentale e presenta un cuscino in pietra sagomato
nello stesso blocco; sul letto è adagiato l’inumato,
probabilmente una donna adulta. Il corredo è costituito da
tre fibule in bronzo rinvenute sul petto, un vaso che doveva
contenere oli o profumi (lekythos) sulla spalla destra e ai
piedi un vaso a vernice nera (stamnos) adatto a contenere
liquidi. Tra le ossa della mano sinistra è stata rinvenuta una
moneta in bronzo.
L’eccezionalità della sepoltura, portata alla luce grazie alla
disponibilità di Rfi, in posizione eccentrica nell’ambito della
necropoli, è documentata anche dal fatto che al momento
rappresenta l’unica tomba dipinta rinvenuta nel territorio di
Maddaloni. Il reperto recuperato è stato trasportato presso
il Museo Archeologico Nazionale dell’antica Calatia per
il restauro conservativo, finalizzato alla collocazione della
sepoltura in uno spazio espositivo all’interno dello stesso
Museo.
leaves in red and black. The funeral bed, made up of two
slabs of tuff, is positioned along the long western side and
has a stone pillow carved from the same block; the body,
probably an adult woman, is placed on the bed. The grave
goods consist of three bronze fibulae (fibulas) found on the
chest, a vase that must have contained oils or perfumes
(lekythos) on the right shoulder and a vase with black
paint (stamnos) suitable for containing liquids at the feet. A
bronze coin was found between the bones of the left hand.
The exceptional nature of the burial, brought to light thanks
to RFI's willingness to cooperate, in an off-centre position
within the necropolis, is further confirmed by the fact that
it is currently the only painted tomb found in the Maddaloni
area.
The tomb was recovered and transported to the Museo
Archeologico Nazionale of ancient Calatia, where it
underwent a conservative restoration, aimed at placing the
burial in an exhibition space within the museum.
Tomba dipinta, copertura/Painted tomb, roof
A PAINTED TOMB DISCOVERED
IN A FOURTH TO THIRD
CENTURY BC NECROPOLIS IN
MADDALONI
The construction works for doubling the railway
line between Cancello and Benevento on the
Naples-Bari route, carried out by Ferrovie Italiane,
included preventive archaeology under the scientific
direction of the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti
e Paesaggio per le province di Caserta e Benevento, led
by architect Salvatore Buonomo, and offered a great
opportunity to increase what we know about the territory
of Caserta and Benevento. As part of these activities, the
excavations carried out in an area on the eastern outskirts
of Maddaloni (Caserta), under the scientific supervision
of Soprintendenza archaeologist, Antonella Tomeo, a
necropolis was brought to light including, so far, about
30 burials dating from the second half of the fourth and
third centuries BC. The discovery offers new evidence and
insights into settlement in this area.
The tombs are mainly built out of tuff with a flat slab roof
and an access corridor with steps.
One of the burials brought to light is a painted tomb,
together with another burial featuring a particularly rich
range of grave goods.
The painted chamber tomb has a double-sloping roof,
consisting of three slabs of tuff on each side, a slab for the
northern head, while to the south the head coincides with
the lintel and appears to cover an entrance consisting of
a slab and two side doors. The chamber, made of slabs of
tuff, has a slightly projecting frame that preserves traces
of pictorial decoration: three small white, red and black
stripes, with a red stripe at the bottom. The tympanum of
the northern wall preserves a palmette with lanceolate
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