Placed between the Porto in the North, and the Excavations of Ostia Antica, in the South, the Isola Sacra is the territory transformed by Trajan in an artificial island through the realization of a connection canal between the Tiber and the sea (The canal of Trajan).
In I century a.C. a road connected the two centres of Ostia and Porto, through the island which represented the main road axis. Along the road a unique necropolis developed, which was not mentioned by the sources and which was discovered in the 20's and 40's in occasion of the drainage of the territory.

The necropolis of Porto

Upon excavations, the graves, which were real buildings with a semi-square plan with architectonic fronts and terrace and bottle-shape covers, resulted completely covered by a thick layer of sea sands which had hidden and protected the settlement, which was until then unknown.

Actually, two nucleus are visible, one northern nucleus called Graves previous National Fighters’ Work and a southern nucleus , corresponding to the wide state area of the necropolis.

The necropolis is made up of buildings, even two-levels buildings and is richly decorated inside with paintings, stuccoworks and mosaics. On the façade of the graves there are still the marble inscriptions which remind the names of the owners, the use conditions of the sepulchres and often even their dimensions.

Next to the inscription there were some relieves made of fired clay with the representation of the jobs carried out while they were still alive, attributable above all to the entrepreneurial rank made up of traders and freedmen.

The typological variants of the sepulchres, the meaningful internal decoration and the other finds (sarcophagi, statues, etc.) have deeply let us know the architectonical and artistic expressions and of high handcraft in the funerary filed, by reflecting the tastes, the culture and the tendencies of the society of Porto in the Middle and Late Imperial Age (II-IV century a.C.).

The Northern archaeological area

Other places of interest to visit in the Holy Island:  the area of the so called Iseo Portuense.

INFORMATION

Monuments and Fine Arts Office of Ostia
Via dei Romagnoli 717 - 00119 Ostia Antica (RM)
tel. +39 0656358099 - fax +39 065651500

Necropolis of Porto at the Holy Island
tel. +39 066583888

Duration of visit: 2 hours

Ticket: free
Opening days: January- February from 9:00 a.m to 04:00 p.m. (exit within 05:00 p.m.). March from 09:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m. (exit within 06:00 p.m). End of March – end of October (legal time period). from 09:00 a.m to 06:00 p.m (exit within 07:00 p.m.). November-December from 9:00 a.m to 04:00 p.m. (exit within 05:00 p.m.).
Closing days: On Mondays (excepted for the Angel’s Monday): the following holidays: 1st January – 1st May – 25th December..

Notes: for the archaeological areas of the Northern sector (The Baths of Matidia, Basilica of St. Ippolitus and the graves Previous Natioanl Fighhters’ Work), visits on request. For information: tel +39 0656358099.