Tarquinia

Tarquinia (Italian: [tarˈkwiːnja]), formerly known as Corneto, is a town and comune (municipality) in the Province of Viterbo in the region of Lazio in central Italy. The ancient burial grounds (necropoleis), dating from the Iron Age (9th century BC, or Villanovan period) to Roman times, were on the adjacent promontories including that of today's Tarquinia. It has 15,862 inhabitants. It is renowned for its extensive Etruscan necropoleis, which contain some of the most important painted tombs of the ancient world. In recognition of its cultural significance, Tarquinia was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia. The modern town was renamed in 1922 after the ancient city of Tarquinii (Latin) or Tarch(u)na (Etruscan). Although little remains above ground of the once-flourishing city, archaeological excavations continue to uncover important remnants of its Etruscan and Roman past.