Monterozzi necropolis

Monterozzi necropolis

Necropoli dei Monterozzi
Entrance to the necropolis. Because the tomb monuments on the surface were lost, modern structures now protect the subterranean tombs.
Shown within Italy
Location	Tarquinia, Lazio, Italy
Region	Etruria
Coordinates
Type	Necropolis
History
Founded	7th century BC
Site notes
Management	Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici dell'Etruria Meridionale
Website	Museum and Necropolis of Tarquinia and Cerveteri
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, iii, iv
Designated	2004 (28th session)
Reference no.	1158
Region	Europe and North America

The Monterozzi necropolis is an Etruscan necropolis on a hill east of Tarquinia in Lazio, Italy. The necropolis has about 6,000 graves, the oldest of which dates to the 7th century BCE. About 200 of the gravestones are decorated with frescos. Monterozzi was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.

Description

Simple tombs for cremation burials from the Villanovan culture predated the painted tombs.

The earliest tomb decorated with complex frescoes was the Tomb of the Bulls, dated to either 540–530 BC or 530–520 BC. Together with the Tomb of the Whipping it is one of the rare Etruscan tombs which have erotic frescoes. The frescoes of the Tomb of the Leopards have been preserved best, while the Tomb of the Bigas, the Tomb of the Augurs, the Tomb of Hunting and Fishing and the Tomb of the Triclinium are famous for the artistic quality of their frescoes. The Tomb of Orcus is notable for having the only known pictorial depiction of the Etruscan daemon Tuchulcha

See also

• Etruscan art
• Etruscan society
• Tarquinia National Museum

External links

• Museum and Necropolis of Tarquinia and Cerveteri Official website
• Monterozzi necropolis - Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici dell'Etruria Meridionale (Italian)
• Photos inside the tombs (English)