Italian officials in Rome have announced the confiscation of an illegal excavation at an Etruscan burial site in Umbria, central Italy. Two individuals are under investigation for the suspected theft of valuable artifacts, including urns and sarcophagi, worth 8 million euros ($8.5 million) with the intention of selling them on the black market.
The illicit dig was discovered near another Etruscan burial site that was found by a farmer in 2015 while plowing his land. Authorities were alerted to the illegal activity after seeing photos of the artifacts and site circulating on the black market, which bore resemblance to objects found on the farmer’s property.
By utilizing a drone for aerial photography and conducting phone surveillance, investigators were able to pinpoint the location of the second site, which was situated on land owned by a local businessman who had access to earthmoving machinery.
Upon further inspection, officials uncovered two sarcophagi believed to belong to Etruscan princesses, one of which still contained a skeleton. They also found a burial trousseau complete with urns depicting battle and hunting scenes, perfume jars, and a comb crafted from bone.
The Etruscan civilization thrived in central Italy from around 900 B.C. to 27 B.C., spanning regions between the Tiber and Arno rivers, encompassing present-day Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio.
