Age groups and funerary space: subault burials in the Valle trebba necropolis of Spina (end of the 6th-3rd century BC)

The city of Spina, founded in the late 6th century BC, held a pivotal role within the territorial system of the Etruscan Po Valley due to its strategic position in the Po Delta. The city is mostly known for its necropolises, about 4000 tombs dating back from the end of the 6th to the 3rd century BC. The grave goods displayed a dynamic community strongly projected towards maritime activities. The necropolis of Valle Trebba of Spina, the northernmost burial area investigated from 1922 to 1935, represents a privileged case study to observe spatial/ritual dynamics on a large scale, considering the entire “necropolis system”. Thanks to an integrated approach, it is now possible to analyze gender and age categories observed in a diachronic perspective. This paper regards child funeral treatment, focusing on burial disposition and their participation in the development of the necropolis.