Le lekythoi tra forma, iconografia e ritualità funeraria. Il caso della necropoli di Valle Trebba di Spina

This paper explores the multifaceted and key role of lekythoi within the funerary practices of the Valle Trebba necropolis in Spina, the Etruscan city-port on the Adriatic coast. Through a contextual analysis of these vessels - particularly Attic imports - the study examines the evolving relationship between their shape, iconography, and ritual use from the late 6th to the 3rd century B.C. Lekythoi were highly favoured among Attic imports in Spina and were often placed in prominent or isolated positions within the tomb, suggesting their central role in specific rituals of libation, anointing and/or offering. The iconographic analysis reveals a deliberate selection of both shape and imagery; the latter often featured themes that reinforced the vessel’s function and mirrored the social identity and eschatological beliefs of Spina’s inhabitants.