Regolini-Galassi tomb

[4] After the archaeological excavations of the tomb, the antiquities it contained were initially securely kept in a room in the residence of General Galassi, a key official of the papal army.

Also found on the bronze bed in an annex chamber was the body of one more person, whose identity has remained an unexplained mystery.

[4] Several of the items display seventh century BC Villanovan decorative motifs, including a great fibula, adorned with five tiny lions depicted striding across its surface,[3] and a large 25 cm long plaque, decorated with depictions of animals of Eastern origin.

Orientalizing influences are prominent in the tomb, fusing Etruscan customs with those of Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean.

[3] The use of many materials in the items including iron, tin, copper, silver and gold illustrates the importance of mineral wealth in the area which saw Villanovan settlements develop from poor agricultural villages into thriving cities.