TOMB OF THE RELIEFSThe most elaborate of the Cerveteri
tombs, in decoration if not in plan, is the so-called Tomb of the Reliefs
(FIG. 9-8). Like the much earlier Tomb of the Shields and Chairs, it ac-
commodated several generations of a single family. The walls and piers
of this tomb were, as usual, gouged out of the tufa bedrock, but in this
instance painted stucco reliefs covered the stone. The stools, mirrors,
drinking cups, pitchers, and knives effectively suggest a domestic con-
text, underscoring the connection between Etruscan houses of the dead
and those of the living. Other reliefs, such as the helmet and shields
over the main funerary couch (the pillows are also shallow reliefs), are
signs of the elite status of this Cerveteri family. The three-headed dog
Cerberus, guardian of the gate to the Underworld, beneath the same
couch is a reference to the passage from this life to the next.
TARQUINIA Large underground burial chambers hewn out of
the natural rock were also the norm at Tarquinia. Earthen mounds
may once have covered the Tarquinia tombs too, but the tumuli are
no longer preserved. In contrast to Cerveteri, the subterranean
rooms at Tarquinia do not have carvings imitating the appearance of
Etruscan houses. In some cases, however, paintings decorate the
walls. Painted tombs are statistically rare, the privilege of only the
wealthiest Etruscan families. Nevertheless, archaeologists have dis-
covered many paintings at Tarquinia by using periscopes to explore
tomb interiors from the surface before considering time-consuming
and costly excavation. Consequently, art historians have an almost
unbroken record of monumental painting in Etruria from Archaic
to Hellenistic times.
TOMB OF THE LEOPARDSA characteristic example dat-
ing to the early fifth century BCEis the Tomb of the Leopards (FIG.
9-9), named for the beasts that guard the interior of the painted
chamber from their perch within the pediment of the rear wall. TheyEarly Etruscan Art 2299-8Interior of the Tomb of the
Reliefs, Cerveteri, Italy, third
century bce.
The Tomb of the Reliefs takes its
name from the painted stucco reliefs
covering its walls and piers. The
stools, mirrors, drinking cups, and
other items are reminders of the
houses of the living.9-9Interior of the Tomb of
the Leopards, Tarquinia, Italy,
ca. 480–470 bce.
Mural paintings adorn many of the
underground tombs at Tarquinia.
In this tomb, banqueting couples,
servants, and musicians celebrate
the joys of the good life. The men
have dark skin, the women fair skin.