There was an important settlement in Muralto, part of Locarno, but the literature is meagre or difficult to access. The site is on the northern shore of the Lago Maggiore, called Lacus Verbanus in antiquity (Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia II,106; III,23; IX,33; Strabo, Geography IV,6,12). Near the shore of the lake remains of buildings were found on an area measuring some 200 x 170 m.
Plan of the settlement. Drack-Fellmann 1988, Abb. 411.
Not on the plan: 1: large building on the shore of the lake; 12: burial places to the north of the settlement.
2: two small temples; 3: commercial hall; 4: baths; 5: mansio (?); 6-8: houses; 9: workshops; 10: mill (?); 11: round structure; 13: tombs;
14: early-Mediaeval church; 15: early-Mediaeval tombs; 16: church of San Vittore; 17: church of San Stefano.Of particular interest is a very large round structure with a diameter of some 200 meters (nr. 11). Only some foundations were found. To the north a large rectangular hall was found, where metal working and the production of glass were documented (nr. 3; 22 x 12 m.). Further to the north baths from the second century were excavated (nr. 4; 18 x 13 m.). The walls were decorated with marble.
A: baths; B: commercial hall; C: building.
1: apodyterium; 2: frigidarium; 3: heated room.
Plan and photo of the excavations of baths and a commercial hall (nrs. 3-4). Janke 2007, figs. 3 and 5. Two fragments of inscriptions were found in the church of San Vittore (EDCS-05101816, EDCS-82600009). In 1880 a marble altar with a dedication to Minerva was found, transformed into a Romanesque capital (EDCS-08000594). Hundreds of tombs have been excavated in a wide arc to the north of the settlement, between Solduno and Minusio. An outstanding grave gift was a glass beaker decorated with birds.
The beaker decorated with birds. Museo civico e archeologico, Locarno. H. 0.065. 20-50 AD.
Photos: Ufficio dei beni culturali, Bellinzona (top) and Drack-Fellmann 1988, Taf. 6b (bottom).
Literature
Donati 1983; Drack-Fellmann 1988, 447-450; Drack-Fellmann 1991, 183; Janke 2007. Plus: Archäologie der Schweiz 10,3 (1987), 131-132; Jahrbuch der Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Ur- und Frühgeschichte 71 (1988), 230-232; 73 (1990), 214-215. Much literature is not readily available.
[20-Jan-2024]
