SAMNITE TOMB FRESCO, 330-320 BCE. MUSEO ARCHEOLOGICO NAZIONALE DI NAPOLI This tufo wall slab formed one of the two long sides of a Samnite tomb in via del Seminario in the town of Nola found in 1977. This side shows a warrior on horseback, in typical Samnite short shorts and tunic, also wearing a beard and a somewhat skeptical expression, against a white wall decorated with honorary wreaths. The brown-black horse is wearing armour on its face and its breastplate (or cloth) is marked by bloody arrow wounds, showing the warrior's valour (and the horse's). Behind the rearing horse is the warrior's shield-bearer, who is holding the tail of the horse, a risky gesture which shows he is part of the entourage of the warrior. He is dressed in a long tunic and is wearing a wreath, a tribute to his bravery.

#FrescoFriday finds us in the pre-#Roman section of the #ArchaeologicalMuseum of #Naples, looking at the wsll of a painted tomb from #Nola. #Samnite tomb decoration relied heavily on outlines filled with colour, producing a distinct and slightly cartoonish effect.

WOMEN BEARING LIBATIONS, 330-320 BCE. MUSEO ARCHEOLOGICO NAZIONALE DI NAPOLI This painted slab of tufo is from the area of Nola-Cimitile 24 km inland from Naples, where the local Oscan population had been conquered by the Samnites, blending the two peoples, who had a distinctive Greek-inflected artistic style. This slab is from a tomb dating from just before the area's conquest by the Romans. Against a white background two female figures are seen in profile, walking toward the right. Both are bearing pail-like vessels and sprigs of laurel (?), the second figure also carrying a small lekythos or wine-jug, presumably for pouring libations for the deceased. The figures are dressed in brightly-coloured dresses the first one in blue and the second one in yellow-orange, with embroidered borders of wave patterns or stripes. Atop this they both wear red half-cloaks, one with a wave pattern and the other with a meander. On the wall behind them are triumphal crowns of leaves. There isn't much modulation to the figures: they are defined by line drawings filled with colour. The effect is, however, delicate and graceful.

#FrescoFriday offers us a tomb slab from the #Samnite site of #Nola-#Cimitile inland from #Naples, where a #funerary procession is bringing wine to the grave of the deceased. #AncientBluesky 🏺

The found of a warrior equipping a #Montefortino #helmet, Crecchio, Italy. The helmet dates from the 4th century BC and probably belongs to a #Samnite warrior.
The Montefortino replaced Greek types in the Roman army, when a simple helmet was required for the ascending number of Roman legions.

First post after the migration – what better way to kick things off than having the latest cover page of @antiquityj.bsky.social feature a recent paper from my project! 🔥

A stunning blend of lush forests 🌳 and #lidar ✨ brings this #Samnite #hillforts to life!

🔗 www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

MALE FIGURE, C. 340-330 BCE, FROM A TOMB IN NOLA. MUSEO ARCHEOLOGICO NAZIONALE DI NAPOLI This is one of the two short walls of a tomb found in Nola in Campania, probably belonging to a warrior who died in battle - the Samnites strongly resisted Roman assimilation and were only conquered after three wars against them. Other walls of the tomb are decorated with scenes of the hero returning victoriously, his horse bleeding from several wounds. This figure of a young man in a cape may represent a member of the community paying tribute to the warrior's sacrifice. He is in profile facing left, wrapped in a cloak that leaves only his legs - dark red like his face, to indicate the masculine tan - exposed. He's striding leftward. On the white wall behind him are two red ribbons hanging from four points, with red strands trailing from the ends, more decoration to honour the deceased.

#FrescoFriday brings us to #Naples, to see a handsome fellow dressed in yellow from a tomb in #Nola, part of a funeral cortège that encircles the deceased on all four walls. This is a #Samnite, a fierce enemy of #Rome.