Etruscan Tumulus of Montefortini

The Tumulus of Montefortini, located at Comeana in the municipality of Carmignano, dates back to 630 BC and is one of the most remarkable examples of Etruscan funerary architecture. 
It was discovered in 1965 by a group of young people from Prato and takes the form of an artificial hillock about 12 meters high, inside of which there are two tombs: a more ancient tholos tomb - that is, a circular one - and a second rectangular tomb, built after the collapse of the first one.

The tholos tomb, with a diameter of over seven meters, can be visited from above by walking along a raised walkway that provides an extraordinary perspective of the false-dome roof, once supported by the central pillar, which is still present.
Numerous precious objects were found inside it, such as a rare turquoise glass bowl, bucchero plates and refined ivory artifacts, that provide evidence of the Etruscan aristocracy's political and commercial ties with the East, also mediated by Greek and Phoenician merchants.  

The rectangular tomb, probably built after an earthquake, has an imposing entrance corridor and also contains valuable artifacts, despite the damage caused by looting.
These funerary structures and their wealth of grave goods bear witness to the central role of the Etruscan civilization in the Prato area and reveal its extensive international relations.

Today, the artifacts are kept in the Archaeological Museum in Artimino, which was dedicated to Francesco Nicosia, the archeologist who led the excavation campaign.