Cerveteri
Ancient Etruscan city and site of the Banditaccia Necropolis.
Cerveteri is a town and comune in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the Italian region of Lazio. The ancient Romans called it Caere; the Etruscans knew it as Caisra or Cisra; and the Greeks referred to it as Agylla (Άγυλλα). Its current name comes from the 13th-century term Caere Vetus (specifically its locative form, Caere Veterī), which was used to distinguish it from Caere Novum, the present-day town.
This site was one of the most important cities of the Etruscan civilization, covering an area more than 15 times larger than the modern town. The most famous structures are in the Banditaccia Necropolis, which contains all the major tumulus tombs and burial chambers. Carved from tufa, most of these tombs echo Greek architectural styles. Caere was a city-state of the Etruscan League, and at its peak around 600 BC, its population likely ranged from 25,000 to 40,000 people.
The ancient city lay about 7 km (4.3 mi) from the sea, a location that made it a wealthy trading hub, initially due to iron-ore mines in the Tolfa Hills. It had three sea ports, including Pyrgi, linked to Caere by a road roughly 13 km (8.1 mi) long and 10 m (33 ft) wide, and Punicum. Pyrgi was also known for its sanctuary of monumental temples built around 510 BC by the king of Caere, dedicated to the goddesses Leucothea and Ilithyia; several sculptures from this site are now displayed at the Villa Giulia.
Little is known of the ancient city itself, though six temples are recorded from various sources. Two have been excavated—one dedicated to Hera, and another in the northern part of the city. Parts of the city walls are still visible, and excavations have uncovered a theatre. Three necropoleis have been found. Their tombs were often dug up chaotically and illegally; over the centuries they have yielded rich and exquisite objects, including ceramics and jewelry, now held in many museums worldwide. One famous work is the Sarcophagus of the Spouses.
The most famous attraction in Cerveteri is the Etruscan Necropoli della Banditaccia, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the necropolis in Tarquinia. It covers 400 hectares (990 acres), with 10 hectares (25 acres) open to visitors, and contains about 1,000 tombs, often housed in characteristic mounds. It is the largest ancient necropolis in the Mediterranean.
Quick Facts
- Region
- Lazio
- Metropolitan City
- Rome
- Mayor
- Elena Gubetti
- Population Total
- 37983
- Population As Of
- 30 November 2017
- Frazioni
- Ceri, Due Casette, Furbara, Borgo San Martino, Sasso, Valcanneto, Casetta Mattei, Cerqueto, Quartaccio, Cerenova, Campo di Mare, I Terzi, San Paolo, Gricciano, Pian della Carlotta, Zambra
- Elevation M
- 81
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Caere was one of the city-states of the Etruscan League and at its height, around 600 BC, its population was perhaps around 25,000 – 40,000 people. The ancient city was situated about 7 km from the sea, a location that made it a wealthy trading town derived originally from the iron-ore mines in the Tolfa Hills. It had three sea ports including Pyrgi, connected to Caere by a road about 13 km long and 10 m wide, and Punicum. Pyrgi was also known for its sanctuary of monumental temples from 510 BC, built by the king of Caere and dedicated to the goddesses Leucothea and Ilithyia.
Reader's Guide
The most famous attraction of Cerveteri is the Etruscan Necropoli della Banditaccia, which has been declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site together with the necropolis in Tarquinia. It covers an area of 400 hectares, of which 10 hectares can be visited, encompassing a total of about 1,000 tombs often housed in characteristic mounds. It is the largest ancient necropolis in the Mediterranean area. The tombs date from the 9th century BC to the later Etruscan period. The most important tombs include the Tomb Regolini-Galassi with rich gold finds from the mid-7th century BC, the Tomb of the Reliefs from the 4th–2nd century BC, and the Tomb of the Painted Lions from 620 BC. Modern knowledge of Etruscan daily life is largely dependent on the numerous decorative details and finds from such tombs. A large number of finds excavated at Cerveteri are in the National Etruscan Museum, Rome, with others in the Vatican Museums and many other museums around the world.
Did You Know?
- The name Banditaccia comes from the leasing (bando) of areas of land to the Cerveteri population by the local landowners.
- The Tomb of the Reliefs is identified from an inscription as belonging to the Matuna family.
- The Euphronios Krater, returned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, is housed in the Museo nazionale cerite at Palazzo Ruspoli.
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