The Northern Emona cemetery is a significant archaeological site situated along the former main thoroughfare leading to Roman Emona. This extensive burial ground currently has approximately 4,000 documented graves, providing critical insight into the daily life, social organization, and funerary rites of the inhabitants of ancient Ljubljana. According to the Ljubljana City Museum, the historical extent of the Northern Cemetery covered a vast area, stretching from the vicinity of today’s Congress Square, passing the railway station, through to Bežigrad, and concluding at the Gospodarski razstavišče.
Current academic efforts represent a continuation of the long-term study dedicated to this northern burial site. A notable research milestone occurred in 2024 during the construction of the Emonika City Center building. This intervention led to the investigation of 139 graves.
Due to the sheer scale of the construction work, researchers were able to gather valuable data pertaining not only to the immediate site but also to the broader Emona hinterland and the overall pattern of settlement development in the region. These ongoing investigations continue to build a comprehensive picture of the community that thrived in the Roman era. The depth of archaeological study at this site underscores its importance as a primary source for understanding the historical continuity and evolution of the settlement that would become modern Ljubljana.
Topics: #area #northern #roman
