Necropoli etrusca del Poggino

The Poggino necropolis near Fonterutoli preserves five Etruscan tombs dating from the late seventh to the end of the sixth century BC. Four are chamber tombs and one is a stone chest grave, reflecting different burial practices among local families.

Why it matters

The tombs document the wealth and long-distance connections of communities in the Chianti before the area's later association with vineyards. Finds from the graves include two Attic black-figure amphorae, Etrusco-Corinthian unguentaria, bucchero tableware and bronze and iron weapon fittings. These objects indicate connections with wider Mediterranean exchange networks. The finds are preserved in the Archaeological Museum of the Chianti Senese in Castellina.

What to notice

The necropolis includes four chamber tombs and one cassone, or box-shaped grave. Excavated material has been documented in the local archaeological collection. The tombs' arrangement and construction reflect burial practices of the period, while their furnishings—including imported pottery and weapon fittings—offer evidence of the status and connections of the people buried there.

Context and history

The necropolis was used from the final quarter of the seventh century to the end of the sixth century BC. Etruscan families in the hill country between the Elsa and Arbia used chamber tombs and supplied them with objects connected with local and wider trade. Excavation revealed imported Attic ceramics alongside Etrusco-Corinthian vessels, bucchero and metal objects. These materials are preserved in the Archaeological Museum of the Chianti Senese, while the tombs remain part of the woodland archaeological landscape.