Subadult Burial Practice and Life Stages in Etruscan Necropoleis

The Etruscan civilization of pre-Roman Italy must be interpreted through archaeological evidence, as little literary and historical evidence exists. Most of this evidence is found from large burial complexes called necropoleis located near ancient Etruscan cities. However, burial material recovered from these necropoleis shows that children are underrepresented in these burials. Instead, they are often found in domestic spaces or associated with potentially ritual practices. This paper explores the Etruscan concept of life stages and the representation of subadult burials at three different archaeological sites, using a synthesis of historical and archaeological evidence.