Caere or Agylla
Known by the name of “Agylla” when it was under Greek rule, later to become Ceisra as an Etruscan settlement, renamed Caere by the Romans, and famed throughout the world today as Cerveteri, this is one of Etruria’s greatest and most renowned cities, and its historic and archaeological value has made it a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Its origins date to the 9th - 8th centuries BC, and the Etruscan town saw a long period of development that reached its apex about the 6th century BC, when a pyramid-like social organization took shape, in which power was held by aristocratic families. Conflict with the Greeks, Romanization of the territory¸ interruption of commercial exchanges, attacks by Saracens, and lastly malaria brought this land into decline.
Today, Cerveteri is an obligatory stop for those who wish to make contact with the life and death of the Etruscan people. From the Necropolises, which are a World Heritage Site, and arriving in a historic centre rich with Medieval remains, the evolution of local history and the succession of various periods may be seen. In fact, Caere’s necropolises extend for 45 hectares around the area of the ancient civitas. The most famous is the Necropolis of the Banditaccia, a masterwork of man’s creative genius; along with the one in Tarquinia, it is the most interesting Etruscan tomb group.
The Necropolis of the Banditaccia is important not just for the immense archaeological treasure it preserves inside, but also because, in its design, the Etruscans intended to recreate the urban planning structure of the city of the living: in fact, the tombs wind along a main artery, Via degli Inferi, and follow a checkerboard pattern, the smaller streets intersecting with each other and giving life to a true urban plan.
Its funerary setting reflects the ancient city’s own urban planning and architectural patterns. The word “banditaccia” dates to the early 19th century, when the lands were leased out by the municipality; the leases were called bandi. The leased lands then began to be referred to by the pejorative “banditaccia” because they were unsuited to farming and grazing.
A visit to the necropolis is limited to the “walled-in area” with about two thousand tombs. The most ancient nucleus consists of the area called “Cava della Pozzolana,” or the “pozzolana quarry,” with major groups of Villanovan tombs. During that period (9th – 8th centuries BC), the technique of cremating the deceased was widespread and the simple pit tombs housed the ashes in biconical urns. The large tumuli, which make the Banditaccia unique, are from the 7th century BC. The most famous tomb groups from this period are: the Tomb of the Hut, the tomb of the jars and fire dogs (“Dolii e Alari”), the Tomb of the Funeral Beds, the “Maroi” tumulus, and the “Mengarelli” tumulus. The apogee period (6th century BC) saw the appearance of decorations and finishings that were unknown earlier. The change in tomb type should be interpreted in parallel with that of residential structures. From this period is the Tomb of Capitals, dug entirely into the tuff, with an access and two small rooms plus a central rectangular hall with three rooms at back. The 5th century BC was marked by a period of crisis, connected with the continuous struggles between the aristocratic class and the new middle class. Dating to this period are the “cube” tombs. From the 4th to the 2nd centuries BC, the struggles between Rome and Greece worsened; the most emblematic example from this period is the famous Tomb of the Bas Reliefs, with plasterwork depicting moments, animals, and objects of daily use. It is a single chamber with dividers, loculi, pillars, and delimited spaces for burials.
Adjacent to the Banditaccia Necropolis are the “Tombe del Comune” (“tombs of the municipality”) dating to the Hellenistic age; the Sorbo necropolis, the most ancient, with its tombs dating to the early 9th century BC; and Monte Abatone and San Paolo, which yielded the famous vase of Medea. Lastly, mention should be made of the monumental complex of the “Greppe San’Angelo” tombs situated near one of the entrances to the ancient Etruscan city. http://www.ilmiolazio.it/en-US/arteecultura/Pages/cerveteri.aspx
Also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerveteri
http://etruscans.enacademic.com/154/CAERE
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