Italy Discovers 2,600-Year-Old, Completely Undamaged Etruscan Tomb

A recently discovered, completely intact, double-chambered Etruscan tomb was discovered in the Osteria necropolis within the archaeological territory of the ancient Etruscan city Vulci. Archaeologists had been working on the tomb since April, and this week they managed to open it, revealing a double chamber carved into the rock.

The stone slabs that guarded the entry were lifted to uncover an abundance of treasures, including pottery, antique wine vessels, decorative accents, iron items, metal relics like a cauldron, and a nearly perfect tablecloth from a burial feast.

Two-Chambered, Intoxicated by Wine

According to Sivaggia, the two chambers were painstakingly cut into the malleable volcanic tufa and date to the 7th century BC. The first room held four Etruscan transport amphorae that were intended to store locally made wine. On the other hand, the second room revealed a variety of amphorae and ceramics from the eastern Greek regions, such as Ionia and Corinth, as well as locally made goods, such as the characteristic black bucchero pottery.

Interestingly, researchers believe that the two amphorae in Chamber B came from Chios, which was known for making the most sought-after wine in the Greco-Roman world. To further add to the mystery, this compartment also uncovered a tripod bowl and other iron items.

Rich in rich, fertile soil ideal for grapes was Etruria, the center of the Etruscan civilization. The Etruscans were known for their exquisite wine-making, especially the highly esteemed Chian wine from the island of Chios, which was well-known across the Greco-Roman world.

Known as the "Tomb of the Silver Hands," the tomb has also produced a tablecloth that was part of the Etruscan custom of the "last meal." The way the different artifacts are arranged indicates that this burial place was meant for a wealthy Etruscan family. "Gives us back in an unusual way the actual funerary banquet, as the Etruscans had laid it centuries and centuries ago," says Simona Carosi, the archaeologist in charge of the Archaeological and Nature Park.

Amazing archaeological treasures have been unearthed from the Osteria necropolis in the past, including the mysterious "Tomb of the Sun and the Moon," the "Panathenaic," the "Carved Ceilings," and a massive grave known as the "Tomb of the Sphinx," which dates to the sixth century BC.

Building tombs and engaging in the wine trade were essential to Etruscan society during its height, which spanned from the eighth to the fourth century BC in central Italy. This period's Etruscan tombs are famous for their exquisite architectural design, which frequently resembles lavishly furnished homes with valuables, pottery, and murals.

The elaborate burial chambers in some of the most famous Etruscan tombs, including those in Cerveteri and Tarquinia, clearly portray Etruscan life, beliefs, and customs.

The Etruscan Tomb's Entrance and Design: A Window into the Lifestyle of the Elite Vulci

Clarifies "Appears to be characterized by a septum spared in the rock that creates an archway between the dromos, that is, the short corridor with steps, and the vestibule, from which there was access to the two chambers, the front and the left: the one, usual, on the right is missing, evidently because the space had already been occupied by other tombs," said Carlos Casini, director of the Vulci foundation, to the Il Messagero.

Finestre sull'Arte reports that the artifacts unearthed from this Etruscan tomb offer priceless historical and scientific insights into the lifestyle of Vulci's aristocracy at the height of the city's prominence, with special attention to the amphorae and their function in the ancient wine trade.

Tufa slabs that had sealed the site's entrance were being carefully lifted one at a time, which was creating a sense of rising excitement among the crowd and the archaeologists. Carosi came to the following conclusion: "With a great deal of promise for tourism, the Latium Maremma and southern Etruria are places rich with artistic and cultural treasures.

The area recognizes that these sites have the potential to attract premium tourism in the future and is dedicated to enhancing their quality through increasing funding for excavation projects."

Archaeologists at the Osteria necropolis in Vulci, Italy, unveiling an Etruscan tomb that dates to the 7th century BC. Correct: Relics within the grave.

The Etruscan tomb was discovered blocked by a flawlessly sealed stone slab near Tarquinia, a hill hamlet located roughly 50 miles northwest of Rome. The investigators discovered a whole skeleton resting on a stone bed inside the domed chamber, with a spear close to the corpse. There were brooches on his chest, suggesting that he had formerly worn a mantle.

Beside him were a sizable bronze bowl and a dish filled with meal remnants; the burnt remains of someone else may have been placed on the stone table to the right.

Finding an intact Etruscan tomb belonging to a member of a higher social class is incredibly uncommon, making this find remarkable. According to Alessandro Mandolesi of the University of Turin, "It opens up huge study opportunities for the Etruscans."

Mandolesi and his group surmise that the person was a member of Tarquinia's governing dynasty. The underground room was discovered next to a sizable mound known as "the Queen Tomb," which is 600 feet away and nearly identical to another striking mound known as "the King's Tomb."

According to Mandolesi, "Everything would have been off limits to anybody but the royal family."