2,700-year-old Etruscan tomb discovered in Italy — Live Science

Archaeologists have discovered a monumental tomb about 2,700 years old in the ancient Etruscan city of Vulci, north of Rome in Italy. The burial site, named the Tomb of the Stone Chamber, retained a significant collection of funerary items despite repeated attempts at looting over the centuries, Live Science reports.

Weapons, gold and a chariot

Weapons, gold items, bronze plates, chariot parts, a rare pair of women's shoes and an almost complete banquet set were found in the burial. The tomb dates to the 7th century BC and has three burial chambers. Jewelry, clothing and shoes were preserved beneath the collapsed roofs of these chambers.

In the side rooms, archaeologists also found rare objects, including a bronze tripod made on the Greek island of Rhodes. Some vessels from the banquet set remained in their original positions after centuries underground.

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Research began in the 19th century

The excavation was carried out in the summer by participants in the Return to Vulci project. Their work continues the research of French archaeologist Stéphane Gsell, who in 1889 identified the circular enclosure of the burial mound. He outlined the probable perimeter of the grave but did not find the tomb itself due to a lack of time and funding.

The project’s co-director, British Museum archaeologist Christian Mazé, said that the weapons, chariot parts, gold items and high-quality ceramics point to the highest status of the burial. Gsell estimated the mound’s diameter at approximately 31 meters. At the same time, preliminary calculations by the Return to Vulci team suggest that the Tomb of the Stone Chamber may be comparable in size to Vulci’s largest burial mound, the Cuccumella, which has a diameter of about 70 meters, or may even be larger.

The tomb and burial mound were covered for preservation. Research is planned to continue in 2027.