La necropoli indigena (fine VII – inizio del VI sec. a.C.) di loc. Sant’Antonio Abate (Ferrandina, MT): i risultati preliminari della campagna di scavo 2024

The 2024 excavation campaign at the indigenous necropolis of Sant’Antonio Abate in Ferrandina (MT) marked the fifth phase of systematic archaeological investigations conducted as part of the FARCH – Ferrandina Archeologica project. This campaign focused on the southern sector of the necropolis, uncovering six previously unknown burials (TT. 30–35), which significantly enhance our understanding of funerary practices during the transition between the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE. The newly identified graves, predominantly simple pit burials, display different states of preservation, primarily influenced by modern agricultural activities and root intrusions. Notably, for the first time at the site, two burials (T. 30 and T. 32) featured a supine position with flexed legs—an arrangement that deviates from the more commonly attested contracted lateral posture so far observed in the necropolis. The accompanying grave goods confirm the continuity of established ceramic traditions, while variations in vessel forms and their assemblages offer new perspectives on social stratification and ritual behavior. Furthermore, evidence of post-depositional ritual activity and later occupation phases, tentatively dated to the 4th–3rd centuries BCE, suggests a longterm and complex diachronic use of the area. This paper presents a preliminary overview of the 2024 campaign, outlining the principal stratigraphic contexts, burial characteristics, and associated material culture. The findings discussed herein contribute to the broader interpretation of funerary customs and the evolving patterns of land use at the Sant’Antonio Abate necropolis within the wider framework of indigenous settlement dynamics in Southern Italy.