Sepolture infantili in ambito monastico: problemi di contestualizzazione e osservazioni archeologiche

[Machine translation] Abstract: The topic of child burials in monasteries has not so far been the subject of summary studies, even, due to the fragmentation and incompleteness of the available data. There are also difficulties, in identifying in a definite way the different periods of childhood, also based on the sources, which show a, rather loose use of terms like infans or puer. The article discusses these aspects, also with interest, methodological, through the historiographical acquisitions of recent decades and investigates the presence of, children and adolescents in monasteries, in particular in relation to the phenomenon of oblation, whose role, was decisive for many centuries and at the base of the recruitment mechanisms of community members, religious. These elements provide the big picture and context with which the evidence is confronted, material, which in turn raises further questions. The child burials are located in, different sectors of the monastic space, both in the most private parts (such as the cloister) and in the more, “open” or potentially in contact with lay people and with external visitors. An examination of some Italian sites,, distributed over a wide chronological period (from the early Middle Ages to the 15th century), it shows the remarkable variety of, situations and the wide range of possible interpretations proposed by the archaeological record., Abstract: Infant burials in monasteries are not well known yet, also because of the fact that available, data are still fragmentary. Beside this aspect, however, we encounter some difficulties in distinguishing, different periods of childhood, according to written sources, where terms as infans or puer are often, not used with rigorous distinctions in meaning. This paper focuses on these issues, also with a methodological, scope and examines the recent historiography. It studies the presence of children and, teen-agers in monasteries, particularly related to the oblation, the role of which was crucial through, the Middle Ages for the recruitment of the monks. This scenario deals with material evidence, which, arises in turn further questions. Infant burials are located in different areas of the monastery, both in, most private spaces (as the cloister) as well as in other ones, where contacts with laymen and external, visitors are possible. A review of some sites in Italy, dating from the Early Middle Ages to the 15th, century, shows the great variety of situations and the different possible interpretations suggested by, the archaeological record.