ON THE TRAIL OF THE ETRUSCANS
The Tuscia area – which corresponds to the territory within the Province of Viterbo – was the heartland of a mysterious and fascinating civilization: the Etruscans. Their origins are lost in prehistory although the earliest Etruscan inscriptions date back to the 700 BC.
Tarquinia’s necropolis - As their concepts of death and life after death changed over the centuries, so did the style of their tombs: house-like, excavated underground and rock ones. The most famous necropolis in the area is in Tarquinia: also known as Monterozzi, it contains 6,000 underground tombs. 200 of them are beautifully painted and they have been described as “the first chapter in the history of great Italian painting”: for this reason this necropolis has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004.
Vulci, the ancient city and its necropolis - A good variety of tombs can be visited in the Vulci area. The Etruscan town of Vulci, built by the Fiora river, became very rich and important between 800 and 600 B.C., thanks to its strategic position near the sea which favoured the trade of the excellent potteries produced in the area.
Tuscania - The Etruscan settlements uncovered here (7 in all) date back as far as the 7th century BC. By the 4th century BC, Tuscania was a thriving village connected to Tarquinia. Concentrated within a 10 km radius around the current St. Peter’s hill and church, the necropolises and tombs uncovered today include those of Ara del Tufo, Casa Galeotti, Madonna dell’Olivo, Peschiera, and Pian di Mola.
Tarquinia’s necropolis - As their concepts of death and life after death changed over the centuries, so did the style of their tombs: house-like, excavated underground and rock ones. The most famous necropolis in the area is in Tarquinia: also known as Monterozzi, it contains 6,000 underground tombs. 200 of them are beautifully painted and they have been described as “the first chapter in the history of great Italian painting”: for this reason this necropolis has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004.
Vulci, the ancient city and its necropolis - A good variety of tombs can be visited in the Vulci area. The Etruscan town of Vulci, built by the Fiora river, became very rich and important between 800 and 600 B.C., thanks to its strategic position near the sea which favoured the trade of the excellent potteries produced in the area.
Tuscania - The Etruscan settlements uncovered here (7 in all) date back as far as the 7th century BC. By the 4th century BC, Tuscania was a thriving village connected to Tarquinia. Concentrated within a 10 km radius around the current St. Peter’s hill and church, the necropolises and tombs uncovered today include those of Ara del Tufo, Casa Galeotti, Madonna dell’Olivo, Peschiera, and Pian di Mola.