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10 August 2019

In Milan the works for the construction of the new line 4 of the underground brought to light a necropolis, with over 250 skeletons, which belong to burials of different eras. Among the remains found there is also that of a horse that according to archaeologists is "the first case of equine burial found in Milan". The findings were made in front of the Basilica of San Vittore al Corpo, near the construction site for the Sant'Ambrogio Station of M4, where the first phase of the archaeological excavations ended.

"This area - explained Antonella Ranaldi, Superintendent of Archeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Metropolitan City of Milan, in a note from the M4 company - has preserved over time, from Roman times until the sixteenth century, a necropolis destination" . Cristina Cattaneo, coroner and director of Labanof, the Forensic Anthropology and Odontology Laboratory of the University of Milan, underlined the importance of the skeletons found. "Some discoveries are extremely interesting, for example the first case of tuberculosis - he said -. In mass graves we found skeletons with signs of contusion injuries to the head and we think they are capital executions". The excavations have also brought to light the skeleton of a horse: the archaeologist Giuliana Cuomo, site manager for the Archeology Cooperative, explained how it is "the first case of equine burial found in Milan".

"It is an unusual fact in itself - added superintendent Ranaldi - which raises questions about why it was in this area where valuable tombs existed. Together with the skeleton we didn't find anything else if they dedicated a burial in it. this area certainly belonged to some important person ". This phase of archaeological excavation is finished, all the findings have been removed from the site to be cataloged and studied.