Rituali della morte nella Magna Grecia indigena. Sepolture senza corpo

In the pre-Roman necropolises of Southern Italy it is not uncommon to find tombs where the deceased body is completely or partially absent. Such an evidence is usually attributed to the soil’s chemical characteristics and composition. This paper aims to reconsider the issue and the related archaeological evidences, by investigating the phenomenon’s possible causes and by trying to recognize the existence of specific funerary rituals connected with the partial or complete removal of the deceased’s body. In reviewing and analyzing a few cases of empty, looted, intact, "visited" tombs, with and without residual bones and goods, we aim to focus on the variety and significance of the native people’s funerary practices in Southern Italy throughout centuries and cultural boundaries