ABSTRACT

In spite of many excavations, discoveries and research into Etruscan urban areas and sanctuaries in recent decades, the thousands of necropoleis and tombs in Etruria still remain our main sources of information about Etruscan culture, art, life and religion and, of course, particularly burial customs, funeral rites and specific aspects of the Etruscan Afterlife. They often reflect historical, economic and social changes too. Without any doubt the Etruscans – more than any other population or culture – invested a great deal of financial resources and architectural, technical and artistic know-how in their cemeteries and tombs, which means, in some way, an investment in the Afterlife. Unfortunately we are still missing a complete “handbook” on Etruscan tombs and tomb architecture, and many Etruscan necropoleis and tombs – specifically those of Cerveteri – are not really thoroughly published. Of course, there are different kinds of approaches to this extremely complex and interesting topic – more technical-architectural, more art historical, more religious, more social, etc. In this modest contribution I can touch only briefly on the most important aspects and, via a quite rich and extended bibliography, hope to stimulate further interest and research on Etruscan necropoleis and tombs.