Italy Panorama

Typical round tomb

Cerveteri, Lazio

Population 26,800
Elevation 80 meters

We have visited these ancient ruins at Cerveteri twice and each time we were amazed at the extent of this “city of the dead” and the lack of other visitors. The park is located a stones throw from the city of Cerveteri which is easily accessed by autostrada from both Rome and the airport at Fiumicino in about half an hour.

This area is composed of tuff hills a few miles from the sea and the current city of Cerveteri covers only a small portion of the ancient Etruscan city. The city is surrounded on three adjoining hills by burial areas which resemble a city of the dead complete with recreated houses and roads. This UNESCO World Heritage Site covers over 800 acres and 20 acres are open for visitors. The site is considered the largest ancient necropolis in the entire Mediterranean area.

The tombs date from the 9th century BC to the 3rd century BC and the style of tomb changes based on the age. Older tombs were simple pits in the tuff where ashes where housed, then came the circular mounds cut into the tuff rock with rooms carved out of the rock and many extensively decorated. Later styles were block houses along roads with simpler square tombs.

Walking among the portion of this city that has been excavated is amazing and makes your imagination run wild with why and how this ancient civilization built these lasting monuments to the dead. More is known of the Etruscan people from these types of tombs than from any other sources.

We have visited some of the other attractions around Rome such as Ostia Antica and Villa Adriana and I would consider this location just as fascinating, well worth a side trip from the bustle of Rome.

The carved interior of a tomb