Lapis Niger

E42853

Lapis Niger is an ancient black stone shrine and inscribed pavement in Rome’s Forum Romanum, traditionally associated with early Roman religious or funerary practices and sometimes linked to the legendary king Romulus.

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Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf ancient shrine
archaeological site
religious monument
archaeologicalSignificance earliest known Latin inscription from the Forum
evidence for early Roman cult practices
associatedWith Roman religious practices
Romulus
early Roman kings
funerary practices
coveredBy protective modern pavement
culturalContext Roman Antiquity
surface form: ancient Rome
currentCondition partially preserved
debatedIdentification altar of a deity
cenotaph or symbolic tomb
royal memorial
discoveredBy Giacomo Boni
discoveredIn 1899
function commemorative monument
sanctuary
hasInscriptionInLanguage archaic Latin
hasPart altar
cippus
inscribed pavement
shrine
stele
subterranean chamber
heritageDesignation part of the archaeological area of the Roman Forum
inscriptionContentType legal or ritual formula
religious regulation
inscriptionDating 5th century BCE
6th century BCE
inscriptionType votive inscription
linkedLegend place of Romulus’ death
site of early royal memorial
tomb of Romulus
locatedInTimePeriod archaic Rome
early Roman Republic
location Forum Romanum
Italy
Rome
managedBy Italian Ministry of Culture
material black stone
nearbyStructure Comitium
Curia Julia
Rostra
religiousTradition Roman religion
touristAttraction yes
writingSystem early Latin alphabet

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Forum Romanum contains Lapis Niger
subject surface form: Regio VIII Forum Romanum
Roman Forum contains Lapis Niger