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Archaeologists have uncovered in Manduria, a small town in Apulia on the heel of the Italian boot, the 2,300-year-old tomb of a possible priestess of Demeter. The monument, known as Tomb 17, bears two inscriptions in Messapic, a pre-Roman non-Italic language, as well as decorations linked to the cult of the goddess of agriculture.
A tomb cut into the rock
The burial was spotted in the former necropolis of Manduria, located in the Mura Messapiche archaeological park. Dug directly into the bedrock, it was originally closed by three massive stone slabs, which have preserved most of the engraved and painted message.
This type of rock-cut tomb is characteristic of Messapic funerary practices, of a people settled in the region long before Roman rule. The site is part of the major funerary complexes that today help us better understand these communities.
Two inscriptions for a priestess
The engraved inscription runs across the three closing slabs. Epigraphists have identified the name of a woman, that of her father, and the word "thabara", which here designates a priestly title. This term indicates that the deceased belonged to a prominent family and held an important religious function in her community.
The second inscription, painted on the inner face of one of the slabs, comprises four lines. It repeats the word "thabara" alongside a name interpreted as "Damatrioas", a possible reference to Demeter, the Greek goddess of harvests and agriculture. It is this association of title and deity that leads researchers to believe the deceased was a priestess of Demeter.
Rare decorations and ancient looting
The tomb features exceptional painted decoration: a meander frieze on the upper part of the slabs, a temple key and a thymiaterion, a vessel used to burn incense. These motifs point directly to the ritual and religious sphere of the cult.
The tomb had been looted as early as Antiquity, so little funerary furniture remains. Nevertheless, bronze fibulae, a silver ring decorated with a snake motif, a silver coin minted in Taranto and an unidentified iron object were recovered. The scarce and fragmentary bone remains were damaged both by looters and by the acidity of the soil.
A language almost lost
Messapic is known today from only about 600 inscriptions. The language disappeared after the Roman conquest of southern Italy, at the end of the Second Punic War (218-201 BC). Each new inscription therefore makes a valuable contribution to knowledge of this limited corpus.
The role of women in Messapic religion remains an open question. If the initial interpretations are confirmed, Tomb 17 will shed light on the religious place of women and on how Greek cults were transformed in the south of the peninsula.
Next steps in the research
Archaeologists will continue studying the inscriptions of Tomb 17. Beyond epigraphic analysis, the decorations are to be restored and the funerary furniture examined in detail, in order to refine the dating and context of the burial.
Visitors interested in these remains can go to the Mura Messapiche archaeological park in Manduria, where the traces of Messapic settlement and necropolis can be seen.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the person buried in the Manduria tomb?
According to the inscriptions, she was a woman from an influential family, whose name and her father's name appear on the slabs. The title "thabara" suggests she held a priestly function. Researchers remain cautious until the interpretations are confirmed.
What is the Messapic language?
Messapic is a pre-Roman language spoken in southern Italy, non-Italic, meaning it did not belong to the Latin or Umbrian linguistic group. It is known only from about a hundred inscriptions, each of only a few words. It disappeared after the Roman conquest.
Where can Messapic remains be seen in Apulia?
The Mura Messapiche archaeological park in Manduria displays the remains of the ancient city and its necropolis. It allows visitors to discover the architecture and funerary practices of this people of the region.
Why is this tomb important for archaeology?
It combines a religious title, the name of a deity and ritual decoration, which is rare. With only about 600 known Messapic inscriptions, each discovery sheds light on the language, the religion and the place of women in society.
Sources
- 2,300-year-old possible priestess tomb found in southern Italy — The History Blog
Original summary written with the help of artificial intelligence from the sources cited, checked automatically, then translated from the French original. Information and quotations belong to their authors. Read the French original.
