One year on from the discovery of the famous ‘Tomb of the Vases with Painted Birds’, archaeological research in the San Giuliano area of Barbarano Romano (in the province of Viterbo) has yielded another exceptional find: a second Etruscan tomb, left untouched for over 2,600 years, has been unearthed within the Caiolo necropolis.
The burial, also dated to the late 7th century BC, at the height of the Orientalising period, represents a discovery of extraordinary scientific significance. The find confirms the site’s exceptional archaeological potential and offers new opportunities for studying Etruscan society and its funerary rituals.
The role of the Virgil Academy and Baylor University
Underpinning the discovery is the work of the Virgil Academy, a philanthropic organisation founded by Professor Gianni Profita, Rector of UniCamillus. Since 2016, the Academy has held the ministerial licence for research and excavation activities in the San Giuliano archaeological area and has been promoting the international San Giuliano Archaeological Research Project (SGARP), established to foster collaboration between Italian institutions and foreign universities in archaeological research.
Baylor University (Texas) is involved in this project, leading the excavation campaign under the scientific direction of Professor Davide Zori, in collaboration with the Superintendence for Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the province of Viterbo and Southern Etruria.
“Every archaeological discovery is a conversation with time. When a tomb remains sealed for over twenty-six centuries and once again tells us about the life, customs and beliefs of an ancient community, we are not just recovering artefacts: we are recovering memory”, says Gianni Profita, President of the Virgil Academy and Rector of UniCamillus. “Understanding human beings means examining both their future and their past: on the one hand through science and medicine, and on the other through the testimonies that history has handed down to us. The new discovery at San Giuliano demonstrates that Italy’s cultural heritage still holds extraordinary chapters waiting to be explored, and confirms the value of a project that, for ten years, has been fostering dialogue between international universities, scientific research and the protection of the local environment. This is precisely the mission of the Virgil Academy: to transform knowledge into a bridge between cultures, generations and scientific communities”.
A burial chamber sealed by time
The new tomb was discovered on 9th June, when archaeologists unearthed a monumental sealing slab still perfectly in place—a feature that has preserved the burial context in its entirety for over twenty-six centuries.
Inside the burial chamber, researchers found the remains of two individuals and a grave goods assemblage comprising thirteen ceramic vessels. Among the artefacts uncovered are containers for storing food, refined bucchero goblets used for drinking wine, and at least one perfume vessel. An iron spearhead was also found beside one of the deceased, suggesting that the individual may have belonged to the warrior elite of the Etruscan community.
“The new tomb has remained sealed and untouched since the end of the 7th century BC and represents a discovery of extraordinary scientific value”, explains Professor Zori. “Intact contexts such as this are extremely rare and offer us a unique opportunity to understand the funerary rituals, beliefs and role of the elites who inhabited the ancient Etruscan city of San Giuliano. Furthermore, the exceptional state of preservation of the skeletal remains will provide valuable information through future scientific analyses. I can only thank Professor Profita for his vision and his constant support”.
Excavation, documentation and the study of the finds will continue over the coming months.
The discovery takes on even greater significance when one considers the geographical area in which it took place: over the decades, southern Etruria has been particularly affected by tomb raiders and illegal excavations, which have compromised numerous archaeological sites. The discovery of two perfectly preserved tombs in two consecutive excavation campaigns therefore represents an extraordinary triumph for conservation and scientific research.
An international model for research and heritage enhancement
The archaeological site of San Giuliano, with its hundreds of Etruscan tombs and evidence of subsequent Roman and medieval phases, continues to establish itself as one of the most important research centres in Etruria.
“This new discovery confirms the extraordinary value of the necropolises of Barbarano Romano and reinforces the path we are pursuing towards the creation of a fully fledged Academic Archaeological Park”, explains Rinaldo Marchesi, mayor of Barbarano. “It is a virtuous model of collaboration between the local council, the Virgil Academy, Baylor University and local institutions, which we intend to continue strengthening for the future of our community”.
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