Medieval children’s portraits : a first glance at infant burials in Castel Trosino

This study aims at redemption of infant burials found in the early medieval site of Castel Trosino(Italy). Although this necropolis has been studied from different points of view since its discovery, no one has pointed his attention on children's tombs and the kind of grave goods that accompany them in afterlife. A careful observation of children’s grave goods reveals that from 6th to 8th Century italic society in part owed mortuary practices to the classical world and in part renewed those through the addition of new marker. Furthermore it’s very interesting to notice differences between infant burials and young girls and boys ones: the latter present much elaborate mortuary equipments which seem to refer to the role they would have had after the rite of passage to the adult age. This is noticeable looking at young girls’ graves where we found not only necklaces but also rings and earrings that remind handiworks of the finest early medieval and byzantine jewellery. Finally, a detailed analysis of the position of children’s tombs with or without grave goods in the various areas of the necropolis (S. Stefano, Fonte and Campo) could be a first step to suppose the status of the families buried in Castel Trosino, to investigate children’s everyday life and the role they had in that society.