Archaeologists have uncovered an ancient necropolis containing 85 burials during expansion work at the Garofalo pasta factory in Gragnano, near Naples in southern Italy. The discovery is shedding new light on life, trade and burial customs in pre-Roman Campania more than 2,500 years ago.
The cemetery dates to the first half of the sixth century BCE. Researchers say the site is exceptional because it preserved fragile organic materials that rarely survive for so long.
Alongside pottery, jewelry and other grave goods, archaeologists recovered fragments of textiles, wooden objects and woven baskets, offering an unusually detailed glimpse into daily life and funeral traditions before Roman rule.
Excavation reveals dozens of ancient burials
The cemetery was discovered during preventive archaeological investigations carried out before construction began on the factory expansion along Via dei Pastai. Excavations started in February 2025 and covered about 2,000 square metres (21,500 square feet).
Archaeologists documented 85 burials across the site. The study of the human remains is still in its early stages, but researchers have so far identified 16 adults, four children and 15 infants.
Geomed excavated under the scientific supervision of the Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape Superintendency for the Metropolitan Area of Naples. Archaeologist Francesca Mermati directed the scientific investigation.
Rare preservation offers a unique window into the past
Several of the deceased were buried in funerary chests made of blocks of volcanic tuff. The sealed conditions inside some of these graves protected delicate organic materials that would normally have decomposed over time.
Archaeologists have uncovered an ancient necropolis with 85 burials beneath a pasta factory in Gragnano, Italy.
The 2,500-year-old cemetery preserved rare textiles, wooden objects and woven baskets, along with Egyptian scarabs linked to the Greek trading settlement of Naukratis. pic.twitter.com/oxLmPCKW6i— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) July 17, 2026
Fragments of fabric, wooden objects and woven baskets survived inside the tombs. Researchers say these finds could provide valuable evidence about ancient clothing, woodworking, basket making and burial practices. Such details are rarely preserved at archaeological sites, where organic materials usually disappear long before excavation.
Luxury goods point to far-reaching trade networks
The grave goods suggest that at least part of the cemetery served a wealthy and socially prominent community.
Among the discoveries are Egyptian scarabs linked to Naukratis, the Greek trading settlement in the Nile Delta. Archaeologists also recovered animal-shaped amber ornaments, silver objects and bronze artifacts of Etruscan origin, along with decorated pottery, jewelry, weapons and bronze dress fasteners.
Researchers say the collection reflects extensive trade and cultural connections rather than direct travel between Gragnano and each of these regions. The finds show that communities in Campania participated in exchange networks linking southern Italy with the Greek world, Egypt, Etruria and the eastern Mediterranean.
Several artifacts also bear alphabetic graffiti, including what appear to be personal names. Researchers hope the inscriptions will help identify the people buried at the site and reveal more about their cultural ties and commercial contacts.
The cemetery reflects a changing Campania
In antiquity, Gragnano formed part of the Ager Stabianus, the territory surrounding Stabiae between the Sorrento Peninsula and the Sarno Valley.
The cemetery dates to a period when communities around the Bay of Naples were undergoing major economic and cultural change. Greek, Etruscan and local populations interacted across the region centuries before Rome established control over Campania.
The burial practices reinforce the idea that local elites used funerary ceremonies to display wealth and status. Imported ornaments, luxury vessels and carefully constructed tuff chests required considerable resources, reflecting the community’s prosperity.
Researchers say the discovery also highlights the growing importance of the area around ancient Stabiae within sixth-century BCE trade and settlement networks, long before the region became known for its Roman history.
Earlier occupation and ongoing research
Archaeologists also uncovered traces of earlier activity beneath the cemetery, including structures and ground features dating to the Copper and Bronze Ages. The remains show that the site had been occupied or used long before the Archaic-period necropolis was established.
Although the excavation has been fully documented and the area is expected to be reburied, research on the recovered artifacts and human remains will continue. A multidisciplinary team will carry out archaeological, bioarchaeological and archaeometric studies, including osteological and chemical analyses, to investigate diet, health, disease, mobility and living conditions.
Researchers hope the findings will provide a clearer picture of the community buried at the Gragnano necropolis and its role in the history of pre-Roman Campania.
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