DIGS

Excavate Etruscan Italy

The LdM-CAMNES Archaeology Field School is an incredible journey in an inspiring environment, where students play an active role in the excavation of Etruscan necropolises.

The archaeological area of Tuscania is composed of several Etruscan necropolises distributed all around the modern town. It is believed that the different necropolises belonged to the same Etruscan city, located in the archaeological area of Colle di San Pietro (San Pietro hill).

LdM started to investigate two newly discovered “Cities of the Dead” in 2005, with the support of CAMNES since 2011, belonging to the Hellenistic period (4th-1st cent. BCE). The project then proceeded in 2020 to explore a new necropolis, Sasso Pinzuto, starting in 2021 in partnership with the University of Naples Federico II.

The Necropolis of Sasso Pinzuto covers a very large area where hundreds of tombs have been discovered in the past. The archaeological project focuses on a series of hypogeum tombs belonging to the 6th century BCE, directly excavated in the tufa rock. The Etruscans buried their dead in these underground chambers and deposited their belongings when celebrating funerary rituals. Many tombs had been violated over the years; however, a few have been left partially intact revealing a good number of ancient artifacts still in position.

Details

Geographic Location

Central Italy

Minimum Stay

4 Weeks

Application Due

Thursday, May 15, 2025

Academic Credit/Cost per Credit/Institution

6 credits are offered by the Lorenzo de' Medici Institute. Contact for more information

Accommodations

Accommodations are in double rooms in a shared apartment. The tuition fee also includes weekday lunches at the excavation.

Cost

Directors

Contact

Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute

[email protected]

To learn how you can get involved, visit their website.