Aerial view of the Etruscan necropolis with tumulus tombs topped with grassy roofs, surrounded by hills.
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Necropolis of Crocifisso del Tufo – Orvieto

At the foot of the majestic tuff cliff crowned by Orvieto—once the ancient Etruscan Velzna—lies one of the most fascinating necropolises in Italy. Here, between the 6th and 3rd centuries BCE, a cosmopolitan community buried their dead in a true “city of the dead,” organized with orthogonal streets and cube-shaped tombs aligned with an almost urbanistic rigor. The result is an eternal neighbourhood, where each family had its own otherworldly home, topped by an inscription that still whispers the name of its owner.

Aerial view of the Etruscan necropolis with tumulus tombs topped with grassy roofs, surrounded by hills.

Necropolis of Crocifisso del Tufo - Orvieto

Etruscan necropolis with numerous tombs made of moss-covered stone blocks.

Necropolis of Crocifisso del Tufo - Orvieto

Entrance to an Etruscan stone tomb with the owner's name engraved on the lintel above the doorway.

Necropolis of Crocifisso del Tufo - Orvieto

What to see

  • Funerary architecture: The tombs, made of tuff blocks, are arranged in regular blocks with streets intersecting at right angles, reflecting an egalitarian yet orderly society. The inscriptions on the lintels—often written in the first person, like an echo from beyond (“I belong to...”)—reveal an open community, with names that suggest distant origins.
  • Funerary goods: Greek pottery, finely crafted bronzes, jewellery, and weapons tell stories of eternal banquets and social status. The most valuable finds, including a black-figure Attic amphora, are on display at the National Archaeological Museum and the Claudio Faina Museum in Orvieto.
  • Tactile Antiquarium: A unique experience in Italy: by wearing gloves provided by the museum, visitors can touch bucchero vases, bronze siren-shaped figures, and architectural fragments, offering a physical connection to Etruscan life.

Did you know?

  • The name comes from a 16th-century crucifix carved into the tuff, now housed in a nearby chapel.
  • The oldest tombs (8th century BCE) show a transition from cremation to inhumation, with grave goods reflecting the rise of a wealthy, international merchant class.
  • The streets were so narrow that access to the tombs was staggered to avoid crowding during funeral rites.

Information:
Address: Strada Statale 71 - Km 1.6 - Località Le Conce, 05018 - Orvieto (TR)
Email:  drm-umb.necropoliorvieto@cultura.gov.it 
Website: https://www.musei.umbria.beniculturali.it/musei/necropoli-etrusca-del-crocifisso-del-tufo/
Source: Regione Umbria – Museum Service and Department for the Supervision of Library Heritage

Explore the surroundings
Main attractions in the vicinity