The Archaeology of Ritual in Early Rome

Based on a sample of 107 archaeological assemblages from various sacred / sacro-political sites, this thesis investigates the significance of ritual behaviour within a defined socio-cultural, geographical, and chronological framework, i.e. Rome during the Orientalising and Archaic periods (late 8^th – mid-5^th cent. BC). Through the contextual analysis of remains of ritual practices – their archaeological realia – within their respective sacred areas / cult buildings, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of the (im)material dimension of early Roman religion. It addresses a significant gap in scholarship, shaped in part by the absence of contemporary written sources for this period. The identification of these contexts as ‘ritual’ is based on a context-specific methodology, developed through a critical review of theoretical and methodological approaches within the archaeology of ritual. This analytical framework enables the attribution of a defined ritual significance to the archaeological contexts, thus facilitating the discernment of the motivation behind their existence. The analysis demonstrates a strong correlation between ritual behaviours and key moments in the life cycle of sacred areas / cult buildings, such as foundation, abandonment, structural modifications, each marked by distinct ritual practices; additionally, although to a lesser extent, the evidence reflects patterns of routine participation in ritual activity.