Tarquenia - Tombs of the Etruscans

The Etruscans inhabited central Italy before the Romans came along. The Etruscans were craftsmen and excellent sculptors and aquaduct makers. We think that the Etruscans taught the Romans all they needed to know about building a city and making it magnificent.

Tarquenia was an Etruscan city, like most of the cities in central Italy. All that remains are the tombs and some aquaducts that we could see from our bus ride to Tarquenia.

We boarded a bus in Viterbo, and thought we were going to the town of Tarquenia. We ended up at the beach outside of Tarquenia. Not bad for taking the wrong bus.

After a nice walk on the beach, we decided to get serious and find the right bus to take us back to Tarquenia, so we could see some tombs and coffins. After finding the right bus, we walked up a narrow street and found the Etruscan museum. We saw marble coffins that were carved out to look like the person who died, and they were resting on an elbow shown to the side. Each person was holding something in their hands that represented their occupation or place in life.

The street on the way to the museum

The museum layout

The museum entrance

A well in the middle of the courtyard.

This is the way the archeologists found the tombs, with the owner's
possessions

This is a base of a coffin - carved in marble!

A woman of prestige. A story about her life
carved into the base of the coffin.

This man is holding a dish. Probably ate a lot! He also has a big necklace around his neck.

More carving in the base. This is before the Romans came into
influence. Etruscans were creative sculptors.

Another man holding a scroll

A woman with details of an agricultural existence

Beautiful Romanesque arches

This tomb was built from terra cotta, a cheaper
way to bury a person.

Etruscan detailed artwork

This one was carved into the plaster

This represents typical Etruscan work, dark yellow and black plaster

His and Hers Cup

Candle sticks. Looks like they can just run away!

This man is REALLY happy to see his woman

A church along the way to the tomb site

Some people were cremated, and were put in small tombs
like these

More beautiful pottery

Painted walls of a tomb. We walked down into it to see
the actual tomb sites. There were about 30 of them.