An ancient funeral altar found in the Archaeological Park of Appia Antica in Rome reintegrates its cover after 1800 years of unceremoniously separated. Archaeologists found the cover in front of the altar two years ago. The lid is upside down, but in good condition.

The altar was discovered in July 2023 at the first mile of Appian Way near Geta’s tomb. This is the area where life-sized statues of Hercules were discovered during construction in January of that year. The site was abandoned in the 4th century, probably because the rise in groundwater levels made it impassable. The soil at the mouth of the water and the benign neglect of thousands of years preserved archaeological materials.

The inscription in front of the altar calls its owner Caius ofilius Ianuarius. Ofilii Gens has been documented since the Republican era, most likely the origin of Samnite or Oscan. Members of the family were recorded as fighting in the Samnet War in the 1st century BC and practicing the law in Rome. Cognitive Inuarius refers to the god Janus and the first month of the year. It is usually adopted by a free man or his son. However, his funeral monument on Appia is in a very prestigious geographical location, so despite his humble origins, he is likely to have obtained a certain status.

There is a niche inside the altar, which contains urns of ashes, perhaps jewelry or other valuables worn by the deceased when they were cremated or placed in the ashes. Archaeologists believe that predators looking for valuables to steal inside funeral monuments will remove the cover. The lid was poured onto the ground but it did not break. The two parts of the altar actually survived without any damage.

The good condition of the altar does not require protection, so it was cleaned and displayed at the Santa Maria Nova Museum less than two months after its discovery. The waiting time for the cover is shorter. Archaeologists simply dust it, then move it to a museum, and then put it back on the altar.

It’s a happy video that captures the moment the cover is discovered and the moment it is put back to the top of the altar.