Fossa grave
The fossa grave (from Latin fossa "dig") is one for the early Italian Iron Age of the late 9th to early 7th century BC. BC ( Villanova culture ) typical grave shape. The grave has the shape of an elongated rectangle and has a horizontal cover plate. The rectangular recess was equipped with brick walls or cut directly into the natural rock. It was used for individual body burials and is considered a pre-form of the chamber grave .
Well-known examples are the Tomba Bernardini and Tomba Barberini excavated near Palestrina (the ancient Praeneste ) in the 19th century . From the second half of the 4th century BC. Until the first half of the 3rd century BC. Fossa graves plastered and painted inside are known from Apulia .
literature
- Stephan Steingräber : On the origin, distribution and architectural context of Lower Italian tomb painting . In: Yearbook of the German Archaeological Institute Vol. 109 (1991). Walter de Gruyter, 1992, ISBN 978-3-11-012701-0 . P. 8