Study of tombs with grave goods containers in the Late Roman necropolis 04 of the Port of Sanitja, Menorca (5th – 7th century AD)

The Late Roman necropolis 04 of the Port of Sanitja (Menorca) comprises 78 tombs associated with a basilica for funerary cult. Constructed at the end of the fifth century AD or the beginning of the sixth century AD, it was utilized continuously until the end of the seventh century AD. Only five of the tombs excavated up to 2024 contained grave goods containers, including ceramic jars and a glass bottle, which were part of the burial rite. A residue analysis was conducted indicating the presence of oil at the time of the deposition. The tombs are oriented from east to west, a disposition that aligns with the prevailing burial practices of the Christian tradition. Most of the tombs are cists containing multiple individuals, with a high frequency of reuse over short periods of time. The human skeletal remains of these five tombs are studied to determine whether their individual characteristics are related to the inclusion of containers in the grave goods as part of the funerary rite. The observed funerary practice is also contextualized by comparison with similar practices from contemporaneous sites in the Balearic Islands and nearby regions.