The site is an ancient rock quarry. Ancient Greeks mined stones here to build, among other things, the great temples and homes of Naples. The huge caves left by excavations eventually became common graves for victims of disease and other causes during the 1600s, and for those who couldn't afford a proper burial.

 

It was during the 1600s that Fontanelle officially started its function as a mass grave. The plague of 1656 killed many of Naples residents, and Fontanelle was used as the burial site for the deceased.

According to the Associated Press, it is estimated that Fontanelle houses the remains of almost one million people, nearly all anonymous. Fontanelle became the site of another unusual custom after a priest and others put thousands of accumulated bones in the caves in order.    

  

According to the Underground Naples Association, women, whose husbands, sons or brothers were killed in faraway countries began adopting the anonymous skulls of the necropolis as if they were their own relatives.

 

"The cult of the dead started here at the cemetery of Fontanelle between the First and Second World Wars. Women used to come here and chose a random skull found alongside these caves. They would it up and take care of the skull, and they used to light up a candle for the dead next to it. All this is in exchange in order to get information about their beloved ones who died and never came back."

 

According to a popular local custom that is rarely practiced today, some believe the skulls were considered purgatory souls waiting to rise to heaven. Only the prayers of those who were still alive could release them from the purgatory. So the skulls needed to be adopted. The adoption included cleaning the skulls, praying for them, and putting flowers nearby and lighting candles.

 

"I used to buy flowers and votive lamps together with my friends and colleagues every Monday. Then we used to put flowers and lamps in front of the skulls we wanted to take care of."

 

"Why were you doing this?"

 

"Because they were dead, as well as our were dead."

 

The Associated Press reports some people believe their prayers had extraordinary results, such as pregnancies, recovery from illness or miracles. The underground cemetery was eventually closed. Today it is being restored and is scheduled to reopen in 2009.