The necropolis of Cumae and its painted tombs

About this activity

The necropolis of Cuma extends within the Phlegraean Fields Archaeological Park, and the complex interior of the city of Cuma has suggested that it was at least twice the size of Pompeii. To this day, the ancient necropolis continues to resurface from the sands of time, bringing to light extraordinarily well-preserved paintings and depictions.

Why visit the Necropolis of Cumae

The first explorations of the Cumae necropolis took place in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several years after excavations of the city began. The burial monuments extend over an area about 3 km long and where tombs dating back to Greek, Samnite and Roman times can be found.

It was Luigi Correale's discovery on his property of the earliest Greek evidence of two bell-shaped craters, with depictions of Triptolemus (a character from Greek mythology) on a winged chariot and Aurora and Cephalus. The oldest Cumaean tombs were found between 1852 and 1857. It was also Stevens who was responsible for many new tombs discovered between 1883 and 1903. These were mostly cremation burials, intended for the wealthy sections of the population, which involved placing the ashes of the deceased in a bronze cauldron, which in turn was then enclosed in a tufa case, where the grave goods, which could vary according to gender and included silver fibulae, weapons, clasps and more, were placed around them.

The Samnite period refers to the chest tombs, made of tufa slabs and decorated with frescoes. In this case, the grave goods were mostly composed of red-figure and black-painted vessels, there was the presence of gold and silver artifacts. Among the main tombs of this period is the thòlos tomb, made of tufa, with a circular plan with a conical vault and inside a series of niches, explored in 1902. The necropolis of Cumae grew during the Roman period. Among the main tombs is the Mausoleum of the Waxed Heads made of tuff and bricks, discovered in 1853, so called because four skeletons whose heads had been replaced with wax masks were found.

The most important things to know about Necropolis of Cumae

• In the monumental area characterized by the presence of several hypogeal chamber tombs, built with large tufa blocks with barrel vaults and monumental facade, a new painted tomb was recently unearthed by researchers, whose characteristics and exceptional decorations depicting banquet scenes are currently being studied by scholars. This discovery will enrich the museum, giving new impetus to ongoing investigations in the ancient Phlegraean city and will be useful to the historical and scientific progress of the entire archaeological park.
• Many of the artifacts are preserved at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.