National Museum of Archeology in Castiglioncello
Grave goods from the Etruscan and Roman tombs found on the promontory are on display
The National Museum of Archeology in Castiglioncello is located inside the large Poggetto pine forest, near the Bay of Porticciolo, and was built in 1914 in the form of a Hellenistic-period temple by the superintendent of Etruria, Luigi Milani, as a place to collect the numerous grave goods that were brought to light during large-scale excavations that Milani himself conducted.
On the Castiglioncello promontory, over 300 Etruscan and Roman tombs were discovered, dating to between the late 4th and early 1st centuries BCE and containing particularly wealthy goods, proving that the area must have been home to a settlement with a lively economy, boasting well-developed production and commercial activities. The Quercetano cove to the north and Portovecchio cove to the south guaranteed an easy landing for ships loading and unloading products.
The museum displays a selection of materials coming from the necropolis. Among these is the splendid alabaster urn from the 2nd century BCE containing the ashes of Velia Cerinei, an Etruscan noblewoman.
Accessibility information: regione.toscana.it
