The success of the recent exhibition of Etruscan antiquities from Cerveteri (Lazio) in the prestigious Louvre-Lens Museum, France, has boosted international interest in the ancient Etruscan Necropolis that lies just outside the town. The Necropolis, known as the Banditaccia, has been a UNESCO heritage site since 2004. An authentic City of the Dead, it was in use for some eight centuries, preserving evidence of strata upon strata of civilization from the Iron Age to the Roman era.
In order to give visitors better understanding of the tomb structures as well as the funeral ceremonies and customs of the Etruscans, a special effects programme has been installed in some of the most celebrated burial chambers, such as the Tomb of the Greek Vases, where images of typical grave goods are projected onto the wall, and the 19-bed Tomb of the Pillar, in which a magical atmosphere has been created with an illusion of flickering torches and a funeral procession, using figures taken from Tarquinia tomb wall paintings. The most famous burial chamber, the Tomb of the Reliefs, also called the Tomba Bella, needs no additional illustration. Its decorations, mostly in relief, but also painted, have miraculously survived and can be seen only through a protective glass window.
Visitors will also enjoy the new introductory video on show at the entrance to the archaeological area, describing the Etruscan civilization, the importance of the ancient city of Caere, as Cerveteri was known to the Romans, the history of the excavations and the tombs themselves.
The site contains a vast series of tracks, lined with beehive-shaped mounds, in an idyllic setting of unspoiled Nature. Access to the interior of most of the tombs involves flights of steps, but four burial chambers can accommodate disabled visitors.
Cerveteri is situated on the old consular route Via Aurelia, 40 kms from Rome, and can be reached by train or by public bus.
Info: Tel. ++39.06.9940001 www.cerveteri.beniculturali.it
