Archaeological Museum of Bologna

The lavish tomb is one of the oldest of the Felsinean period on display in the Museum. This was an incineration burial in a large rectangular trench, marked by a sandstone cippus on a round base. Alongside the cremated remains of the deceased, a large amount of black-figure Attic pottery came to light, as well as a very rare green glass amphora that is probably Phoenician, several glass paste point markers and an ivory stool -“sgabello”-, which gives its name to the grave) set at the centre of the trench.

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The precious folding stool is made with four crossed elephant tusks, joined in pairs with bronze pins and two horizontal ivory elements which would have supported the seat, originally in fabric or leather. For the Etruscans and Romans the stool was a symbol of high rank in municipal politics: the presence of the object in this opulent burial indicates that the deceased must have had a magisterial position in the Bolognese community.

Provenance: Bologna, Giardini Margherita necropolis, “dello Sgabello” tomb
Datation: Late 6th century BC