Archeologia, tafonomia e antropologia: primi risultati di uno studio interdisciplinare sui rinvenimenti degli scavi 2008 a Rocavecchia

The excavations of Messapic funerary contexts of Rocavecchia (Melendugno, Lecce), located in the south of Salento (Apulian peninsula, Southern Italy), were carried out from the late 1920s up to the 1970s. Unfortunately, we only have documentation regarding the type of tomb and to the grave goods, but no taphonomic and anthropological data had been recorded on the Messapic population of Rocavecchia. In 2008 in an area south of Grotta della Poesia the archaeological excavations of funerary contexts started again under the direction of prof. Cosimo Pagliara. Thanks to anthropological excavation, the taphonomic data necessary for the interpretation of the funeral practices were recorded. The recovery and the anthropological study of 83 skeletons provided data on sex and age at death to better understand the organization of the funerary context. The double archaeological and anthropological approach is required to understand a still little-known society: that of the Messapians.