Mors Immatura in the civitas of Forum Iulii, Narbonnensis Gaul: an archaeothanatological approach

Résumé En

During the Roman period, the funerary treatment of children is always described as being very specific, and sometimes atypical, or deviant, compared to that of adults. In Forum Iulii, the graves analysed, including both cremations and inhumations, indicate clear specific gestures towards this age category. However, the inter- and intra-site comparative analysis also reveals heterogeneous funerary practices despite common tomb designs. Advances in field methods help interpret this variability. The diversity highlights some specific treatments which depend mostly on social parameters. In order to understand the practices toward young individuals, which are related to choices made within the family circle, the treatment of adults belonging to the same group also needs to be considered. This paper also investigates the origin and identity of the populations settled in the territory of this civitas during the High Empire, using additional historical and epigraphic sources. The study reveals how children are integrated into families or groups, sharing the same funerary system, and their graves convey the choices made within the family’s private sphere (location, deposit or body treatment). These tombs mirror sociocultural interactions stemming from the micro-local history of this civitas, in particular the settlement of foreign populations (Italic groups) during the Augustan Age.