Morrione, Campochiaro, Molise t. 70 cavaliere

Reconstructed skull of an adolescent from a VII century necropolis in Molise, Italy. This individual was buried with his horse, weapons, and horse fittings, leading them to be designated as a "knight". This site presents an interesting mix of influences, Romano-Byzantine, local italic, Longobardic (germanic), and, most surprisingly, steppe-nomadic. The steppe nomadic character is most evident in the ritual of horse burial along with its owner, as well as the very early presence of stirrups, thought to have been brought into Europe by the Avars. Like the individual from t. 3 at the same site, this individual has retained the metopic suture, which normally closes completely within the first two years of age. This is relatively rare and indicates that the two may have been closely related