One of the most emblematic monumental complexes of Etruscan Pisa from the late 8th, beginning of the 7th century BC it is certainly the sepulchral one made up of a dense number of funerary stones and tombstones crystallized around the large mound of 30 m in diameter - commonly known as the "tumulus of the Etruscan prince" - brought to light in the years 1994-1998 and located on the northern margins of what seems to have been a necropolis of the Iron Age.

But, what's it about? The term "tumulus" has a Latin etymology, where tumŭlus is literally translatable as "mound", which is an accumulation of earth in a semispherical form that provided for a central hypogeal burial (ie underground) reachable through a narrow flight of steps, and which, if large , as in the present case, it could count numerous burial grounds arranged in a radial pattern around its perimeter.

But in this singular situation, given the absence of human remains, it would be better to call the cenotaph structure; we are in fact in the presence of an empty sepulchral monument, that is, deprived of the mortal remains of the deceased, erected in honor of an Etruscan personage of rank who drew his wealth and prestige from navigation, as the ritually broken trident and the sea lance indicate.

But where is the body then? The intuition of the archaeologists has led to think that the unfortunate character to whom the mound is dedicated may have been lost and died at sea; thus, in substitution of the real body a substitutive image of it was recreated, or a kolossós, burnt on the funeral pyre, to which the great quantity of ashes, the remains of bronze nails, an earring and a thin thread of gold found sealed in a large engulfed dolio (container for the storage of foodstuffs, externally covered with waterproofing clay) buried next to the altar lying at its top they seem to refer. Below a powerful stratification in the surrounding necropolis, which seems to have been used since the end of the 8th until the middle of the 5th century BC, they were also found at the same altitude as the crevice of the tomb, remains of burials in small dolia covered from modest mounds of earth.

But the real great fortune was to find the mound completely intact; which allowed archaeologists to recover not a little information on the funeral ritual. Inside the large quadrangular pit located at the center of the monument (4m side x 1m deep), a large wooden box was found containing the remains of a ceremony with fragments of pots and bones of sheep. The cavity was then ritually covered with carefully placed stones and then rinsed, while in the adjacent triangular pit in sterile clay a large iron trident was deposited with the rod ritually broken; above, a large stone altar on whose floor four spits were found, a large knife and the jaw of a horse. Building a sequence of events, after the incineration ceremony of the kolossos and funeral rites in which animals were sacrificed to reinvigorate the presence of the deceased in the afterlife, the most significant objects that formed his trousseau were buried, the altar was broken with a mallet and finally the mound was erected and just as today at a distance of 2700 years we see it. Undoubtedly a visit to this beautiful and unique monumental complex that breaks the concrete panorama of the city, in itself will satisfy any visitor.

Free visits by reservation only by contacting the Pisamo company (Tel. 050/2207284) It is advisable to book a few days in advance to visit the mound on the desired date.

^{The Cache}

Go to the posted coordinates and read the info then extract the following numbers:

A = number of languages written in the info post

B = the first number (in order of appearance) in the description block

The cache is a micro/small container hidden nearby. The cache contains the logbook and a pencil. Please be aware to put the cache back exactly in the way you found it and be aware not to be seen. Happy geocaching!