Sewer workers in Italy recently uncovered an ancient 2,300-year-old tomb in Manduria, Puglia, which belonged to the Messapian civilization from the 4th century B.C. This discovery was announced by the Brindisi and Lecce Superintendency for Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape in a Facebook post on September 8, highlighting the significance of the find. The tomb, which is believed to have been disturbed by ancient looters, contains a range of artifacts, including ceramic objects such as vases, oil lamps, unguent jars, and plates.
Local authorities described the tomb as a well-preserved funerary complex, with two distinct spaces. One of these spaces had traces of painted plaster in red and a horizontal white band running along the walls. The tomb’s entrance included a two-panel door that was covered in red plaster. Additionally, there were four rectangular recesses identified on the southern side, which are thought to have been supports for a funerary bed.
While the main tomb showed signs of ancient disturbance, a second burial site was found to be sealed but contained no grave goods, possibly due to prior looting. However, a Roman Republican denarius coin was discovered inside the fill of this second burial, indicating the area’s continued use after the Roman conquest. Officials are currently working on developing a 3D digital model of the tomb to ensure its preservation and make it accessible through modern technological means.
These recent discoveries add to the growing body of knowledge about the Messapian civilization in the Hellenistic period. Alongside this find, other recent excavations in Italy have revealed significant artifacts, including ancient