183

Title

183

Description

General Structure: Tomb A183 is a rectangular, rock cut chamber that measures 2.78 meters wide by 2.01 meters long, with a maximum floor to ceiling height of 1.64 meters. The chamber has a single, slightly trapezoidal shaped entryway that is 0.73 meters wide at the base, 0.64 meters wide at the top, and 1.56 meters in height. Two benches are cut away from the side walls of the chamber, both approximately 0.65 meters in height and extending 0.84 meters from the walls. Two perpendicular lines are etched into the tops of these benches, creating a rectangular shape. A semi-circle is etched above the shorter of the two lines on both benches. A third bench on the back chamber wall connects the two side benches, measuring 0.55 meters high and extending 0.59 meters from the back chamber wall. The side and back walls are cut directly from the bedrock and angle slightly inwards. The ceiling has similarly been carved on a slightly declining slope towards the chamber’s side walls. A narrow, rectangular shape about the width of the chamber opening is carved in relief from the center of the ceiling, running from the beginning of the chamber entrance to the back wall. The entryway opens to the chamber floor cut into the bedrock between the three platforms, which measures 1.1 meters wide by 1.42 meters long. Facade: Tomb A183’s facade mostly consists of a short, uncovered dromos cut directly out of the bedrock, leading to the tomb entrance. At its greatest point, the dromos measures 1.77 meters long by 0.98 meters wide, with a maximum height of 2.4 meters where it meets the tomb entrance. Two stairs can be seen at the entrance of the walkway and are approximately 0.25 meters long by 0.9 meters wide. Due to rubble and vegetation within the dromos, the full depth of the second stair down cannot be observed, along with other potential steps descending to the tomb entrance. A broken rock slab resides just outside the entrance to the tomb and measures approximately 0.5 meters high by 0.25 meters thick. The width of the slab cannot be determined due to the presence of heavy vegetation. The bedrock walls on either side of the dromos are nearly vertical, but are haphazardly cut and slightly angular. Interpretation: Due to the length and width of the benches on the side walls, it is likely that they served as funerary beds for two individuals. Moreover, the etchings carved into the top of the side benches reflect the rectangular shape of a bed and rounded shape of a headrest. From this, we can infer that the buried individuals were likely oriented with their heads resting within the semi-circular etchings and their feet facing the entrywall. Ultimately, the presence of two funerary beds is the reasoning behind a minimum estimation of two inhumed individuals within this chamber. The slightly lower bench connecting the two funerary beds could have been used as placement for votive offerings, grave goods, or cinerary urns. The rectangular shape in the center of the chamber ceiling was carved to resemble the central beam of a gabled roof, called the ridgepole, maintaining a connection between the living and the dead by emulating domestic architecture. Given this house-like feature and the simplicity of the single chamber, tomb A183 can tentatively be dated from the end of the 6th century to the middle 4th century BCE. Construction of the overall chamber is of good quality, as feature proportions remain approximately equal, whilst stylization is of some interest within the chamber and has remained fairly intact. Overall, tomb A183–though in better condition–closely resembles the neighbouring tomb of A187, meaning both were likely erected within the same range of time. References: Nelson, Rachael. 2021. “Funerary Phenomena: Investigating the Diversity of Etruscan Burial Practices. The Macksey Journal 2 (78): 1-14. Steingräber, Stephan. 2016. "Chapter 9 Architecture of the Tombs". In Caere, edited by Nancy Thompson de Grummond and Lisa Pieraccini, 97-112. New York: University of Texas Press. https://doi.org/10.7560/308431-017. Tobin, F. 2015. The Chamber Tombs of San Giovenale and the Funerary Landscapes of South Etruria. Uppsala University.

Alternative Title

n/a

Creator

Nicole Wilson

Type

COMPACT FORECOURT

Date

End of the 6th to middle 4th century BCE

Extent

2+

Spatial Coverage

north=42°00'20.3"; east=12°05'57.9"; elevation=101.42041

Coverage

Northeast

References

SETS #A183. The Cerveteri Tombs Database, accessed April 30, 2026, link.