| In the middle of the village of Šempeter v Savinjski Dolini, not far from the church of St. Peter, behind the hedge hides one of the most famous monuments of Antiquity in Slovenia. These are the reconstructed sepulchres of wealthy families from the former Celeia. The graves were uncovered after 1952 under the supervision of Josip Klemenc and other archaeologists. The head of excavations has a smaller monument in the archaeological park. The tombs were reconstructed from Antique elements by the architect Jaroslav Černigoj.
The Romans had a custom of burying the deceased by the roads outside the fortified towns or cities. One such burial ground was over flooded and covered with gravel by the Savinja. Archaeologists discovered numerous marble monuments similar to our chapels, and they were reconstructed. They were able to determine that the large burial ground was from the reign of Trajan and the Severi dynasty (96-235).
The rich families forever chiselled in the stone monuments were: the Enniis, Priskianis, Spektatis and Vindonis. On the gables of the roofs of the marble sepulchres, carved gorgons or griffons stood guard. Often portraits of the dead were put in the niches. On the pedestals below them are mythological stories of resurrection, such as Hercules saving Alkestis or the love story of Orpheus and the beautiful Euridica. Numerous designed reliefs belong to the Norik style group. Besides the tombs of the rich, there are also tombs of poorer people, freedmen and slaves. Among the symbolic inscriptions on the monuments there are numerous relief images. Another, less attractive part of the necropolis is by the old Šempeter-Celje road as well.
|