The incredibly fascinating Etruscan necropolis of Tarquinia in the Lazio region never ceases to amaze historians, archaeologists, and travelers from all over the world with more amazing discoveries.
Last February 2025, Parco Archeologico di Cerveteri e Tarquinia (PACT) released the news of an extraordinary discovery: they had found a beautifully frescoed Etruscan tomb with unique paintings representing people dancing and images from metallurgy workshops!
This was actually discovered in 2022, but the news broke last February, while in September, the same Tarquinia Etruscan necropolis was the theater of another amazing discovery: a completely intact Etruscan tomb dating back to the 8th century BC. Specifically, this latest finding also has a funerary bed and trousseau.
In the Etruscan tomb discovered in 2022, on the other hand, the archaeologists in charge of the diggings found that it wasn’t fully untouched but it had already been dug by unauthorized tomb raiders. However, the research team was able to discover a secret, deeper funerary chamber with extraordinarily vivid paintings.
A precious look into Etruscan civilization
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, the Etruscan tombs of Tarquinia and Cerveteri are an invaluable legacy of the pre-Roman civilization that inhabited the northern part of Lazio, as well as southern Tuscany and parts of Umbria.
The huge expanse of hundreds of tombs is a treasure trove of information related to the life, the religious beliefs, and the society of the wonderful Etruscan civilization. Vivid images of dances and feasts, hunting scenes, vases, and decorations make Tarquinia the undisputed capital of the Etruscan funerary art and the largest complex of pre-Roman paintings.
Different levels of artistic expressions and the layers the tombs were built show fascinating tales of the social and historical stratification of an ancient civilization that proves to be developed and advanced.
Discover the Etruscan civilization with us
My Discover Lazio Tour devotes a full day to exploring the wonders of the Etruscan world.
We will begin with the Necropolis of Monterozzi in Tarquinia to visit the finely frescoed underground Etruscan tombs.
Our driver will then whisk us to the town of Tarquinia, where your tour guide will show you the local Archaeological Museum to dig deeper into this wonderful pre-Roman civilization.
Finally, we will end with the other Etruscan graveyard of this huge archaeological park, the Necropolis of Banditaccia in Cerveteri. Even though both belonging to the Etruscan civilization, Cerveteri’s necropolis is very different from the one you will have visited in Tarquinia in the morning.
The tombs are different inside but will immediately appear different also from outside. This is why visiting them with an expert local guide is of utmost importance.
The Spring 2026 edition of our Discover Lazio tour is open for booking! It runs from May 4th to May 10th and there are only 12 spots available.
Email me at angela@angelacorrias.com for more information and to arrange an inquiry call or click here to read more about it.
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