In Corsica, discovery of an ancient necropolis where the bodies were buried in amphorae

A necropolis with about forty tombs dating from the 3rd to the 6th century and whose bodies were buried in African amphorae from Tunisia, has been discovered in Ile-Rousse, a town in Haute-Corse, announced on Wednesday. National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (Inrap).

"This first excavation carried out in the heart of the city, founded in the middle of the 18th century by Pasquale Paoli" gave rise to the "unexpected discovery of around forty tombs" which "renews the ancient past of Île Rousse" and comes "to confirm the occupation of the premises during Antiquity", welcomes Inrap.

Research carried out since the end of February

"The historical texts" known until now only "mentioned a modest village of fishermen and peasants until the 18th century" and "the archaeological evidence of previous occupations discovered until then were rare and fragmentary", further specifies the institute in a press release.

After an initial archaeological diagnosis carried out in the spring of 2019 which revealed "a dozen ancient burials", archaeologists from Inrap have been carrying out research since the end of February on two sectors of approximately 600 m2 in the heart of the city.

"Amphorae are the majority on the site" and "used as receptacles for the deceased", notes Inrap.

"These amphorae are mainly African productions, which constituted the predominant imports in Corsica between the 4th and the 7th century of our era, in particular to contain wine, olive oil and brine from Carthage in Tunisia", further specifies the Institute.

New discoveries possible in the surroundings

"Burial within these large cylindrical containers is generally reserved for children" but "adults benefit" also with in this case, "two amphorae nested one in the other", indicates Inrap by specifying that "most often it is fragments of stomachs which serve as a cover".

"The known examples on the island of such burials are often associated with buildings of worship", as is the case on the sites of Mariana, south of Bastia or Sant'Amanza, between Ajaccio and Propriano.

In the case of Ile-Rousse, "no building has yet been unearthed" and "no deposit of offerings accompanying the deceased appears in the excavated graves", adds the institute which does not exclude no new discoveries "in the immediate environment of the burial area".

The deceased, buried "on an east-west axis with their heads facing west" are in an "average state of preservation", "most of the graves" having "suffered surface deterioration linked to the successive improvements to the premises", further notes the institute which specifies that "the age at death could be determined".

The anthropological laboratory study should provide new information on this population.