San Tomè Church: An Early Medieval Christian Site in Italy
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 3.6
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Italy
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Medieval
- Civilizations
- Lombard
- Site type
- Religious
- Remains
- Fortified Church
On this page10 sections
History
San Tomè Church is an ancient Christian church at Carvico in Italy, traditionally dated to the seventh century and situated within an archaeological area. Its remains belong to an early medieval complex whose occupation extended at least from the sixth to the eleventh century. The site preserves evidence of a wooden church, a later stone replacement or major rebuilding, and an associated domestic building.
Early medieval occupation
Local tradition connects the area with a Lombard settlement. The Lombards were a Germanic people who established a kingdom in Italy from the late sixth century. The reason for a Lombard foundation at this location remains uncertain, and proposed explanations are hypothetical. Archaeological finds, including pottery vessels, soapstone containers, and glass, show that the area was used over several centuries.
The earliest church was a wooden structure of the seventh century. It was later replaced or substantially altered in stone, forming part of a complex that also included a domestic building. A ditch and an earthwork rampart defended the settlement. The construction of the stone church indicates that laborers familiar with building methods used in the eighth century worked there. Its commissioning probably involved an important patron, perhaps from the aristocracy or an ecclesiastical institution. Some artifacts have been cautiously associated with the da Calusco-Carvico family, which was present in the area at the time, although the occupants of the complex were not necessarily members of a high-status group.
Frankish and imperial connections
A Carolingian denarius minted between 781 and 787 links the site to the period after Charlemagne’s conquest of the Bergamo area in 774. The Carolingian period was associated with the dynasty that ruled the Frankish realm and included Charlemagne, a Frankish king and emperor. Another coin, dated to 1026–1039, refers to Conrad II of Franconia, who became emperor and king of Italy. Together with the other finds, these coins place the complex within the changing political landscape of early medieval northern Italy.
Excavation and interpretation
Excavations around Carvico in 1981 brought the church remains to light along the road to Terno d’Isola. The work followed surveyor Gian Franco Ravasio’s observation that the relevant cadastral parcel had an unusual circular shape. Only limited traces of the church survive, and the remains have been interpreted as those of an early medieval, single-nave building set on an elliptical rise. The site continues to be studied archaeologically.
Remains
The surviving remains form a small church and domestic complex on an elliptical rise. The first building was made of wood, while the later church used roughly shaped stone on prepared foundations. The church had an east-facing apse and was associated with an atrium, a domestic building, defensive earthworks, hearths, and dispersed burials.
Wooden church
The earliest church measured approximately 7.10 by 4.50 metres. Its wooden structure included semicircular apses and three hearths. Three pairs of postholes may mark the positions of its supporting posts, while the foundations may have consisted of wooden beams. Part of this building was later demolished, and its beams were removed when the stone church was constructed.
Stone church
The later church was built on a leveled surface where clay foundation pits and new foundation trenches were prepared. Its perimeter walls were made of roughly shaped stone from Monte Canto, and some surviving holes probably resulted from scaffolding used during construction. Fifteen external pilasters, shallow supports attached to the walls, were set on a projecting plinth extending 20 centimetres beyond the wall face.
The church had a liturgical eastward orientation, with the apse facing east. Its floor consisted of mortar mixed with crushed brick and included fragments from glass lamps. The apse had a colored mortar floor containing finely crushed brick. An altar was installed in the stone church, probably close to the altar of the earlier wooden building.
Domestic building and surrounding features
Dwelling
The domestic building stood between the church’s atrium and the exterior. It initially measured about 3.55 by 5.50 metres and had relatively thin walls made of stone and clay. A hearth and an elliptical pit 80 centimetres deep occupied the interior. The pit probably served as a cellar or storeroom, while ash deposits indicate that at least two hearths were used there.
The dwelling was later enlarged and altered with several different materials. Postholes in its floor supported the roof, including two near the hearth, which appears to have remained in use for many years. The building was constructed less carefully than the church. Suggestions that specialist workers had already left or that local inhabitants could not afford more costly construction remain hypothetical. The occupants may have been custodians, a priest, or members of a priest’s household, but their identity is uncertain.
Exterior area and burials
Outside the church, layers of brick material and traces of a hearth mark activity near the buildings. At least nine dispersed burials were identified across the complex. One lay near the presbytery, the part of the church surrounding the main altar, and was oriented north to south. Five were located within the nave, probably placed there within a short period, while two lay in front of the facade and one along the southern side. Six individuals were adults and three were children.
