A monumental necropolis dating back to the early Iron Age (9th-6th century BC) has been discovered in Trento, Italy, during restoration work on a historic building in Via Santa Croce. The find, located approximately 8 meters below street level, reveals a previously unknown chapter of the city's pre-Roman history.
The archaeological site, uncovered by the Archaeological Heritage Office of the Autonomous Province of Trento, contains approximately 200 tombs. These tombs feature indirect cremation burials and are accompanied by notable funerary objects. The necropolis's preservation is attributed to alluvial events from the Fersina stream, which sealed and protected the archaeological deposit over millennia.
The site includes imposing funerary stelae, up to 2.40 meters in height, arranged in north-south parallel rows. Each stele marks a primary tomb, constructed in a stone box and covered by a tumulus structure, around which numerous satellite burials developed.
Funerary artifacts recovered indicate a developed and stratified society. Archaeologists found detailed metal weapons and ornamental objects, enhanced with amber and glass paste inserts, demonstrating cultural links with Italic populations of the time. Superintendent Franco Marzatico notes these items represent a social elite inhabiting the ancient Trento basin, displaying their status through elaborate funerary rituals.
Archaeological investigations, led by Dr. Elisabetta Mottes and coordinated by Dr. Michele Bassetti and Dr. Ester Zanichelli, are ongoing. An interdisciplinary team, including specialists from Italian and foreign institutions, will study the artifacts, anthropological remains, and archaeobotanical data to reconstruct the funerary practices and daily life of this ancient Alpine community. The discovery offers insights into the social and cultural dynamics of Alpine populations in the first millennium BC.