Isola Sacra, Archaeological necropolis in Fiumicino, Italy.
Isola Sacra is a Roman necropolis on an artificial island near Fiumicino, situated between a canal dug in antiquity and the ancient harbor of Portus. Along a paved Roman road, tomb buildings of several stories stand in rows, still showing sections of painted walls, floor mosaics, and decorative plaster.
Emperor Claudius ordered a canal dug in the 1st century to connect the Tiber River with the new harbor of Portus, and the resulting land between the waterways became this island. The tomb buildings went up along the road connecting Portus to Ostia over the following centuries, used by families from the Roman port community.
Many tombs were built by merchants and craftspeople who had their trades depicted on the walls and reliefs outside. Visitors can still recognize carved tools, ships, and everyday objects that show how these people wanted to be remembered.
The necropolis can be visited on foot at your own pace, moving freely between the tomb structures along the ancient road. There is little shade on the site, so early morning or late afternoon visits are more comfortable, especially in summer.
Some tomb chambers still have small terracotta tubes built into their outer walls, through which offerings of wine or water could be poured directly toward the buried person below. This practice of feeding the dead was common among the port workers and merchants who are buried here.
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