Fresh off the bus at Tarquinia, Italy on September 17, 2019

Bloggers: Alex and Shawn

Steps Taken: 14,700

Flights Climbed: 30 floors

After a wonderful buffet breakfast at our hotel in Tarquinia, we were ready to venture into the world of the ancient Etruscans. Our “mourning” was spent in the Necropolis at Cerveteri.

Not only did we admire the magnificent tombs hidden beneath burial mounds, but also the lovely colony of cats that lived there. Sadly, Professor Stewart said we could only admire and not touch (both the tombs and kittens). We first looked at the tomb of the Tomb of the Capitals, which was comprised of three elements: a dromos (entryway), threshold, and chambers. Each level descended further from the land of the living into that of the underworld.

We learned that the tombs were built as if they were houses, with architecture that mimicked beds, ridgepoles, doorframes, windows, floor moldings, and “thatching” on “waddle and daub” roofs. This particular tomb featured elaborate columns with double-Ionic capitals holding up the roofs.

We felt so at home at this tomb that we were nearly tempted to stay another 2600 years, if not for visa concerns.

For lunch we enjoyed a beautiful picnic on the terrace of our hotel overlooking the coastal plain with the Mediterranean off in the distance. It’s a hard life. Our Italian bus driver, Armaldo, joined us. We tried to introduce him to Oreos, but were not successful. We’ll try again later.

Following lunch, we went to see the painted tombs in Tarquinia. The narrow dromos did not leave much room for 11 people to view all at once. We all got to know each other, and smell each other, very intimately. Some subject matter was more “interesting” than others, with one particularly raunchy fresco resulting in Professor Stewart exiting quickly, and the students lingering longer, cackling like hyenas!

After we had spent several hours exploring each and every vividly-painted Etruscan tomb that was open, our group was exhausted. We then did as the Romans did and held a vote as to whether to retire early or visit the Tarquinian Museum. And thus, we concluded our long and eventful day early.

Just kidding- who do you think we are?

At the Tarquinian museum, we marveled at a terracotta pediment tile from the Ara Della Regina of two winged horses and also a beautiful marble sculpture of Mithras, before returning again to Etruscan funerary objects. Of course, there was more there than we really had time to see, so we attempted to hide the Roman coins from Professor Stewart by lining up in front of them. It didn’t work, but everyone got a good laugh. While looking at some exquisite sarcophagi, another museum goer helped us interpret the Etruscan inscription along the side. Etruscans list both their father and MOTHER on their funerary inscriptions unlike the Romans, who only list their father. They were quite progressive for Ancient Italy.

Afterwards we walked back to the hotel for a nice meal provided by the hotel. We are still searching for decent table bread, but the pasta was fantastic.