Life and Death in Central Apulia

Long overshadowed in ancient historiography, the Peucetians of Central Apulia, in southeastern Italy, are brought into focus for the first time in Life and Death in Central Apulia. Carefully examining Peucetian burial assemblages, archaeologist Bice Peruzzi traces a social history of this Italic people from the sixth to the third centuries BCE. She demonstrates that, far from being passive recipients of the more "advanced" cultures of their Greek or Roman neighbors, the Peucetians made nuanced, deliberate, and informed choices in the preparation and treatment of their dead, reflecting the complexities of individual, social, and cultural identities of the deceased. This indicates a mature culture, in full interaction with other Mediterranean peoples, and visible and worthy of scholarly attention in its own right. This detailed study offers a fresh look at ancient Italy beyond the historiographic dominance of Greece and Rome and represents the recovery of one thread of a more vibrant ancient Mediterranean cultural tapestry.