Chiusi - Etruscan Tombs

There are about 400 Etruscan tombs in the area around Chiusi. Some of them can be visited: information can be obtained from the National Etruscan Museum. Close to the town on the east is the Tomba del Colle (Tomb on the Hill), which is also known as the Tomba Casuccini after its discoverer, and which dates from the early fifth century B.C. It has retained the original door, a stone slab, and contains fine wall-paintings (some restored, others copies). On the road to the Lago di Chiusi is the Tomba della Scimmia (Tomb of the Monkey, after a monkey depicted in one of the wall-paintings), which also dates from the early fifth century.

It has notable wall-paintings of funerary ceremonies. Near by is the more recent Tomba della Pellegrina, approached by a dromos (passage). It contains a number of urns and sarcophagi, some of them with relief decoration. Farther north is the Tomba del Granduca (Tomb of the Grand Duke), which contains several urns of the second century B.C. with figural ornament.