Where is the Tomb of the Leopards located?
The Tomb of the Leopards is located within the Necropolis of Monterozzi, near Tarquinia, in Lazio, Italy.
Questions about Tomb of the Leopards
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When was the Tomb of the Leopards built?
The Tomb of the Leopards dates to around 470-450 BC, placing it in the Etruscan period of the fifth century BC.
Why is the Tomb of the Leopards named after leopards?
The tomb takes its name from two confronted leopards painted above the central banquet scene. Leopards were not native to Etruria; the imagery derived from Greek interpretations of hunting leopards popularized in Egypt.
What does the banquet scene in the Tomb of the Leopards depict?
The banquet scene shows three elegantly dressed male-female couples reclining at a feast, attended by two nude boys with serving implements. Scholars interpret it as a funerary banquet for the deceased or a commemorative family meal.
Who wrote about the Tomb of the Leopards in Sketches of Etruscan Places?
D. H. Lawrence described the tomb in his travel essays Sketches of Etruscan Places, writing that the walls were "a dance of real delight" and that the room seemed still inhabited by Etruscans of the sixth century before Christ.
When was the Tomb of the Leopards discovered?
The Tomb of the Leopards was discovered in 1875 and has since been recognized as one of the best-preserved murals of Tarquinia.