Cerveteri and the Necropolis of Banditaccia

The Etruscan Necropolis of Banditaccia is located in top of a hill north to Cerveteri and it is beyond doubt one of the most interesting archeological sites to visit so much as to be declared, together with the Etruscan Necropolis of Tarquinia in 2004 UNESCO World Heritage 

The Necropolis expands for about 10 hectares and is formed by almost 400 tombs, the oldest dating back to the Villanovan culture (ninth century BC) and the most recent to the Etruscan period (third century BC.

The feeling in the air walking within the Necropolis of Banditaccia is simply unique! It is a great and well preserved site, inside which you will really feel like you can go back in time and live again the life of this misterious as well as fascinating civilisation.

The Necropolis of Banditaccia is absolutely the most extended ancient necropolis of the whole Mediterranean area.

A curiosity: it took its name in late nineteenth century, when the fields of the area were announced by public notice to be let by Cerveteri  landlords to locals (in Italian, "bandire", thus "Banditaccia").

The most well-known area is the so-called "Fenced Area" and it is the only equipped area used by visitors. In an overall surface of 10 hectares, it contains approximately 2000 tombs. In this area you will find yourself walking among the characteristic circular tumuli in spherical cap, also called "Cubed Tombs" and the big noble hypogeums, arranged along Via Sepolcrale Principale and the minor streets.

Among the most suggestive tombs, there is surely the Tomb of Reliefs (4th century BC), which you can observe through a protective glass. The inscriptions found inside prove that the tomb belonged to the Matunas family, who embellished it with extraordinary decorations and reliefs in stucco, representing objects of everyday use and demon images.

Steeped in greenery, you will also find the Tomb of the Greek Vases, the tomb of the  Capitals, with a tiny entry corridor and two small rooms on both sides, the Tomb of the Well, the Mengarelli Tumulus and Maroi Tumulus.

These are only some of the most important ones; the necropolis, in fact, inclludes also the Tomb of the Common, with hypogeum graves dating back to the fouth century BC, the Highway, a dirt road linking the city with the site, and the Small Lake, the hill in the central-Eastern side of the plain.

FROM PAST TO FUTURE

Proceeding with the project started with the Archeological Museum of Cerveteri, also the necropolis was provided with innovative multimedia itinerary. Inside the eight graves, multimedia setup has been installed. Thanks to audiovisual animations, they reproduce how the environment must have been in the past. The Necropoli counts in addition with a Bookshop, toilet and refreshment areas, with indoors and outdoors tables, where you can stop by for break during your visit.

Visiting the interior of the illuminated tombs is a suggestive experience, thanks to which you will get in contact with ancient Etruscans and the mysterious cult of dead.