Children and their burial practices in the early medieval cemeteries of Castel Trosino and Nocera Umbra (Italy)

The early medieval sites of Castel Trosino and Nocera Umbra, both located in central Italy, were discovered by chance at the end of the 19th Century during agricultural activities. Their study is very significant not only because the material culture involved is the vastes source available to know italic-byzantine handiworks widespread from 6th to 8th Century, but also because the percentage of infants’ graves is remarkable. This study will focus on children burial practices but also on infant grave goods and their specific choice, for instance the intentional will to insert particular gemstones. A careful observation of children mortuary practices reveals that elements of ancestral tradition blend with elements linked to the context and it is possible to identify three main categories of grave goods in Castel Trosino’s and Nocera Umbra’s infant burials. One composed from objects strictly connected to the past and to the ancient traditions (e.g. pierced coins, pottery or glass vessels); a second category where we found elements connected with the past, but that show a strong influence of the cultural context in which they are inserted (e.g. jewels and fibulae) and finally a third one that includes objects completely new as compared to ancient customs (e.g. gold crosses).