The Roman cemetery in Marof at Ig (Slovenia)

The cemetery in Marof is associated with the Roman settlement at Ig, a vicus on the territory of colonia Emona. The archaeological excavations here brought to light 27 cremation and one inhumation burial dating from the second half of the 1st to the late 3rd or 4th century, most of them heavily disturbed or robbed. The form of the grave pits and the goods correlate well with those from other cemeteries in Emona's countryside. In its south-western part, the cemetery included walled burial enclosures, one of which was excavated and found to hold four cremations. The slightly separated north-eastern part held four groups of burials, likely also forming family burial plots, though unwalled. Three of these groups included a relatively rich burial of a man, from the second half of the 1st or first half of the 2nd century, interred with a knife and a scraper possibly associated with tanning. This division of the cemetery and the differences in the burial manner suggest we could be dealing with two different population groups. Excavations also unearthed several phases of a road passing through the cemetery. Beside this road, a large pit was dug between the late 4th and the 6th century, and a tombstone, as well as several fragments of other monuments thrown into it.