Conservation work uncovers Etruscan burial chambers in Italy

Archaeologists carrying out emergency conservation work at Monte Abatone in Cerveteri, Italy, have uncovered previously undocumented Etruscan burial chambers. The discoveries include thrones carved into rock, traces of red paint and a nearly intact decorated jar.

The work followed the collapse of several tombs at the site, one of the principal burial grounds of the ancient Etruscan city of Caere, at modern Cerveteri. Archaeologists found the chambers while clearing blocked entrances and removing material from inside the structures.

The Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for Southern Etruria announced the discoveries on its Facebook page, ARTnews said.

Thrones, paint and a preserved jar

One chamber retains a large part of its original vaulted ceiling. Another has burial furnishings, including thrones, carved directly into the rock; a third has traces of red paint on its walls. The features help show what the chambers originally looked like and add to knowledge of ancient Caere’s funerary architecture and rituals.

Investigators found that all the tombs had been looted in the past, but a nearly intact jar survived. It bears engraved figures, including animals, and patches of red paint. The vessel is described as stamnoid, meaning it is shaped like a Greek stamnos.

Etruscan civilization flourished roughly from the 9th century BCE until its gradual absorption into the Roman Empire by the 1st century BCE. Dates for these chambers and the jar have not been specified.

Restoration and study

All tombs involved in the work have been investigated, documented and made safe. The finds are undergoing cleaning, restoration and study intended to establish when and how the materials were made and what they meant.