Aquinum archaeological site yields new Roman religious artifacts

The University of Salento has uncovered two significant artifacts during its 18th excavation campaign at the ancient Roman site of Aquinum, located in Castrocielo. The findings provide new insights into the religious and social life of the ancient city.

The first discovery is a richly decorated cippo, which was later reused as paving at a major city intersection. The monument features garlands, festoons, and bucrani surrounding depictions of a pig, a ram, and an ox. These animals represent the ‘suovetaurilia’, a solemn Roman religious rite involving the sacrifice of a pig, a sheep, and a bull. The inscription on the stone likely identifies the dedicator as Caius Ammius Cammarus.

The second find is a fragment of a marble votive altar, which helps researchers more completely reconstruct ancient texts related to the site's religious practices.