The essay presents some results of an anthropological field research concerning war memorials, developed in the city of Naples in the last five years. The author first introduces the main historical and theoretic aspects regarding these monuments; she then analyses their present social uses in order to find out their symbolic meaning and value for social subjects. As the author points up, the observation of commemorative ceremonies in honour of the fallen shows that the dialectic between functions and uses of these monuments is in reference to the field of power relationships.