Tomb of the Pilgrim discovered in Rome

During excavations for the replacement of gas pipes in Rome’s historic center, on Via del Governo Vecchio, a discovery was made that would reveal a piece of the city’s medieval life, according to Superintendent Daniela Porro.

It is the Tomb of the Pilgrim: the Special Superintendence of Rome has in fact announced the discovery of the burial of a young woman with a coin dating from the period between the late 11th century and the early 12th century and the characteristic pilgrim shell.

Archaeologists state that we are dealing with two different funerary contexts: in one, two skeletons were found, namely that of the young pilgrim and that of a man between the ages of 30 and 40, while the second context is acemetery area with dividing walls inside which there are burials probably from the medieval period.

The Superintendency states that the shells found near the skeletons “lead to the hypothesis of a cemetery intended for pilgrims along the via Papalis, that is, the one that St. John led to St. Peter.” In addition, archaeologists explain, under the graves of the young woman and the man “were found two ossuaries closed with ancient tiles reused in later times.”

The cemetery area has “dividing walls abutting a large brickwork wall of different phases and similar to similar structures documented within the adjacent Oratory of the Filippini. The shells found next to the skeletons are characterized by the presence of two holes for hanging them from the typical necklace worn initially by devotees traveling to Compostela and later by all pilgrims.”

The materials found are being studied for further dating information.

Source: Ansa

Ph.Credit Repubblica

Tomb of the Pilgrim discovered in Rome

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