Necropoli etrusca di Madonna dell'Olivo — Grotta della Regina

The Etruscan necropolis of Madonna dell'Olivo lies on terraces above the Marta valley, about two kilometres from Tuscania. Its burial grounds span the Archaic and Hellenistic periods and include the complex of underground chambers known as the Grotta della Regina, as well as monumental tombs of the Curunas family.

Why it matters

The necropolis shows how Etruscan burial architecture changed over time. Tombs were cut into several levels of the slope, and some once had decorated façades whose remains were lost when the tuff collapsed. Finds from the Curunas family tombs, discovered from 1967 to 1970, include nenfro sarcophagi and grave goods now held in Tuscania's National Archaeological Museum.

What to notice

The three terraces face the Marta valley. On the upper level, the Grotta della Regina has a long entrance passage leading to an irregular chamber supported by two columns, with tunnels branching through several levels of tuff. Its original use remains debated. The lower terraces include the monumental tombs of the Curunas family and the Tomb of the Amazon Sarcophagus, whose carved chest depicts combat scenes.

Context and history

The Campanari family excavated the necropolis in the early nineteenth century. The heritage superintendency began a new investigation in 1967, when the entrance passage of the Grotta della Regina was found during consolidation work and the Curunas and Amazon tombs were uncovered in subsequent campaigns. The nearby church of Madonna dell'Olivo, in its present Renaissance form, gave the necropolis its name.