Etruscan Necropolis of Tufo's Crucifix, Orvieto

The Etruscan Necropolis of Tufo's Crucifix is an Etruscan burial site located at the base of Orvieto's cliff, dating from the mid-6th to mid-5th century BC. It consists of over 200 chamber tombs with a rectangular plan (3 x 2 meters), arranged in an orthogonal layout with burial streets. These tombs, constructed from tuff blocks, were mainly for individual family units and featured funerary sets with items indicating social status, such as bronze and terracotta vessels, spears, tools, and ornaments.

Tombs typically have a double-pitched pseudo-vault roof and were sealed with tuff slabs. Names of the deceased were engraved above the tomb doors, with stelae placed outside as markers. Excavations started chaotically in the 19th century, dispersing many artifacts to museums across Europe and America. Since 1961, scientific excavations have resumed, with findings displayed in the National Archaeological Museum of Orvieto, the National Archaeological Museum of Umbria in Perugia, and the Faina Museum in Orvieto.