During routine conservation work at the ancient Palazzone Necropolis in Perugia, Italy, archaeologists have uncovered a remarkable travertine urn that challenges conventional understanding of Etruscan burial practices. The 2,300-year-old vessel, adorned with a striking relief of Medusa and intricate cursive Etruscan inscriptions, contained not human remains but three intact terracotta vessels, suggesting a symbolic burial or cenotaph.
The urn belonged to an individual identified as Arn of the Acsi family and dates to the 3rd century BC, during the early phase of the family hypogeum’s construction. What makes this discovery particularly intriguing is the prominent Medusa relief carved in high relief on the main face, framed by cursive Etruscan script and decorated with stylized floral motifs and ritual disks called paterae – elements typically reserved for elite burials, explains Archaeology Magazine.
- The Cerveteri Necropolis, Etruscan City of the Dead
- Do not Underestimate the Etruscans: Art and Culture of their Own
