New radiocarbon dates from early medieval cemeteries in central and northern Italy

Abstract This paper presents 56 AMS radiocarbon dates from three early medieval sites in Italy: nine from the Roman Villa of Vacone in Vacone (RI), Lazio, 29 from the Roman Villa of Selvicciola in Ischia di Castro (VT), Lazio, and 18 from the necropolis of Povegliano Veronese (VR), Veneto. These results more than double the number of previously published radiocarbon dates from early medieval Italy and are therefore a substantial contribution to the absolute chronology of early medieval cemeteries of Italy. These dates have implications for the relative dating of grave goods, grave reuse, and explaining the presence of graves with multiple individuals.