The necropolis of the Lauscello
A precious Etruscan burial ground nestled in the woods just a few kilometers from Castel Giorgio, on the border line between Umbria and Lazio regions. We’re offering you an exciting time and space travel, just a few kilometers from Castel Giorgio, on the border line between Umbria and Lazio regions, where peep out into the vegetation tens of tombs dating back to III and to IV century B. C., with many treasures and mysteries still to be gifted. To reach this site you can leave from Castel Giorgio, in the province of Terni, by taking for about four km the regional road 74 ter Maremmana up to place Casa Perazza, and going on along two straights; after less than a kilometer, before a turn where the km 91 sign is located, turn into a path on the right – hand side, marked by some panels dedicated to hikers, which brings you to a more challenging stretch of this journey, likewise to be experienced: the Orvieto – Bolsena trip. After a few hundred of meters, into the vegetation, they suddenly appear to view the squared entrances of the Etruscan chamber tombs carved in the tuff, which are checkerboard set one every five meters and they are developed in the area for over 800 meters. They were discovered in 1189 and for many years plundered from grave robbers, but in the last campaign from a few years back, the sixteen graves dug (according to experts there are several tens of them) surprised the archaeologists of the Umbrian Superintendence for their seventy precious relics surfaced from oblivion, as evidence of artifacts amount and of their refinement, despite the passage of time and the robberies. Between found objects there are, a pistrice – in the classical antiquity was a sea dragon with snake tail – a mirror, a burning scent and some different sizes pottery, currently kept in the Superintendence warehouses, waiting for being exposed.
There are wholly 230 wonderful Etruscan “memories” discovered during the three excavation campaigns organized since 1990s. It should also be noted the diversity between burials: some of them have a dromos (a variable length hallway, dug into the ground or cut out of the tuff, which leads to the burial entrance) a few meters down, others even 20 meters long and others have the roof of coffered ceiling. Do you still want to have feelings? Go past the necropolis always remaining on the same path, and you will see from the top several silver shades of the Bolsena Lake. You will be able to see with your own eyes, in the vicinity, a part of the New Traiana Way, desired by the Emperor Traiano in 108 A.D., with irregular paving stones of ancient eruptive rock coming from the volcanic complex of Vulsini Mounts. Information and guided tours Afina Archaeologist Group, tel. +39 328 5424738