The Tomb of the Alcove belongs to the Tombe del Comune group, large family hypogea of the 4th–3rd century BC built when Caere was closely connected politically with Rome. The UNESCO dossier attributes it to the Tarnas family. The hall is organised to focus attention on the central alcove, a raised monumental funerary bed distinguishing the principal burial from benches intended for other members of the group. Its architecture expressed not only kinship but hierarchy within the family.
What to look for
Stand on the entrance axis: the alcove's theatrical centrality was designed to draw the eye immediately to the most prestigious burial.
Discovery and excavation
Its association with the Tarnas and Hellenistic context are documented in the UNESCO dossier; MiC sources emphasise the alcove's visual centrality.