Italian authorities have successfully recovered a remarkable collection of Etruscan artifacts, valued at $8.4 million, following an investigation that unraveled an amateur attempt to sell these treasures on the black market. The items, dating back to the third century BCE, were looted from a necropolis in Città della Pieve, Umbria, and included sarcophagi, funerary urns, and personal items of significant archaeological importance.

A collection of Etruscan artifacts recovered from tomb raiders. Credit: Emanuele Antonio Minerva/Italian Ministry of Culture

The investigation, led by Italy’s Carabinieri Cultural Heritage Protection Unit, began last April when pH๏τos of the artifacts surfaced online. The collection featured eight intricately decorated stone urns, two sarcophagi, and funerary items like bronze mirrors, a bone comb, and a perfume bottle, all believed to have belonged to the Pulfna family—a wealthy and influential Etruscan lineage.

The origins of this case trace back to 2015, when a farmer plowing his field in Città della Pieve uncovered an Etruscan hypogeum, or underground tomb. The site, linked to the Pulfna family, yielded several urns and sarcophagi at the time. The recent artifacts, however, were unearthed illegally by two suspects, including a local entrepreneur owning land near the tomb. Using heavy machinery, the duo removed the relics, later attempting to market them clandestinely.

Authorities were tipped off when they identified the family name “Pulfna” on the looted urns in online pH๏τographs. With the help of drones, surveillance, and phone taps, the police narrowed down the suspects. A breakthrough came when one of them posted a pH๏τo with an artifact on Facebook, leading to their arrests.

Some of the funerary artifacts recovered by Italian authorities. Credit: Emanuele Antonio Minerva/Italian Ministry of Culture

According to a press release from Italy’s Ministry of Culture, the recovered artifacts are among the most significant Etruscan discoveries ever made through police action. The urns, crafted from white Umbrian travertine, feature depictions of Greek myths, battles, and hunting scenes, some retaining traces of polychrome pigments and gold leaf. One sarcophagus contained the complete skeleton of a woman believed to be in her 40s at the time of death.

Among the objects recovered were bronze vessels used in banquets, a balsamarium still holding ancient perfume, and a bronze mirror engraved with the deification of Rome and its iconic she-wolf. These relics underscore the Etruscans’ sophisticated artistry and their cultural contributions, which include innovations like the toga.

The remains of an Etruscan woman discovered in a sarcophagus. Credit: Emanuele Antonio Minerva/Italian Ministry of Culture

Researchers from Italy’s Ministry of Culture are now studying the artifacts. “The funerary trousseau is particularly rich, consisting of both earthenware and metal furnishings and pottery,” the Ministry of Culture noted, emphasizing the unique opportunity to delve deeper into a civilization often overshadowed by ancient Rome.

While the looters face charges of theft and illegal trade of cultural goods, with potential prison sentences of up to 10 years, their actions inadvertently brought to light one of the most impressive Etruscan collections ever found.

The artifacts are now in the custody of Italian cultural authorities, who aim to preserve and display them for public education and scholarly research.

Italian Ministry of Culture