Archaeologists working at the San Giuliano necropolis near Rome uncovered a second intact Etruscan tomb less than a year after the first, offering a rare look at ancient burial practices left undisturbed for centuries.
The tomb was found and opened on June 9, 2026, in the Caiolo area of Barbarano Romano. It lies directly beside an intact Etruscan tomb first uncovered on June 27, 2025. Both chambers were sealed and unlooted when discovered. Finding two such tombs at the same location in consecutive years is considered highly exceptional.
Researchers from Baylor University have led systematic excavations at Caiolo since 2023, under the direction of Prof. Davide Zori. The team works in close collaboration with Italy’s archaeological heritage authority, the Soprintendenza.
The newly found tomb dates to the late 7th century BC, during the Orientalizing period of Etruscan history. A large stone slab sealed the burial chamber. Inside, researchers identified the remains of two individuals.
A spear tip found near one body suggests that the person was male. Bones are partially preserved. Archaeologists also spotted storage jars, “bucchero” chalices, at least one “aryballos,” and additional vessels still partly covered in infiltrated soil.
Dr. Barbara Barbaro, the Soprintendenza’s on-site archaeological official, said intact tombs are extremely rare at San Giuliano. The necropolis holds more than 500 tombs, and most have been looted, either in antiquity or in recent decades by illegal diggers.
She said an undisturbed burial context provides a full picture of ancient life expressed through funerary ritual, something a violated tomb simply cannot offer.
Barbaro credited the find to years of cooperation between Italy’s Ministry of Culture, Baylor University, the Municipality of Barbarano Romano, the Marturanum Regional Park, local law enforcement, and surrounding communities. That partnership, she said, kept illegal excavators away from the site.
The back-to-back discoveries carry added weight given the region’s history. Southern Etruria has suffered widespread looting for decades. Two undisturbed tombs at the same location, a year apart, are seen as evidence that conservation efforts are working.
San Giuliano is regarded as one of the most significant funerary sites in southern Etruria. The necropolis also includes the Tomb of the Queen, the Tomb of the Deer, and the Tomb of the Beds.
Researchers say the ongoing work is generating important new data about Etruscan society during the Orientalizing period.
