The Banditaccia necropolis is an Etruscan necropolis, pertaining to the ancient city of Caere, located on a tuffaceous hill north-west of Cerveteri, in the province of Rome.
The necropolis extends for about 400 hectares and there are many thousands of burials (the fenced and open part is only 10 hectares and has about 400 tumuli), from the oldest of the Villanovan period (9th century BC) to the most recent of the Hellenistic period (3rd century BC).
Initially in the 19th century, the excavations were carried out by antiques lovers, with the aim of finding precious objects to sell them on the market. In the twentieth century, however, they began to be regularized, thanks to the archaeologist Raniero Mengarelli, director of the Excavations Office of the Civitavecchia and Tolfa Districts, who carried out the work from 1909 until 1936.
The intent of these excavations was to recover precious objects, so much so that it was limited to excavating those more evident structures. In 1927 he unearthed what he called Via degli Inferi, which is the main street of the tombs.
On what days and times is it possible to visit the necropolis?
The Archaeological Park is open Friday and Saturday from 9.00 to 19.30 and Sunday from 9.00 to 14.00. The Museum is open from Friday to Sunday from 9.00 to 19.30. N.B. It is advisable to check by telephone for any changes to the timetable due to Covid-19 regulations.
How much does the entrance to the necropolis cost?
The ticket for the necropolis costs € 6 (full) and € 3 (reduced). The cumulative ticket that allows entry to both the necropolis and the museum costs € 10.
There is also a combined weekly ticket that includes Museum + Necropolis of Cerveteri + Necropolis of Tarquinia costs € 15.00.
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