ancient tarquinia (tarxuna) was one of etruria's most important centres.
it occupied a strategic position to the northeast of the present town, on a ridge dominating the coastal plain, until the 4th century bc when it fell to rome.
tarquinia itself is worth a wander for its crumbling medieval churches and spacious main square, though the main reason to visit is the museo archeologico, which has one of italy's better collections of etruscan finds.
relaxed, reclining statues of the deceased adorn the sarcophagi on the ground floor, but the star attraction, on the mezzanine, is a group of terracotta winged horses dating from the 4th century bc.
on a hilltop 2 km. southeast of town are the frescoed tombs of the necropolis dug into the soft volcanic tufa.
there are almost 6000 tombs but only about 15 can be visited at a time.
the frescoes that decorate them, designed to remind the dead of life, range from frenetic dencing figures in the tombs delle leonesse to the diners reclining in the tomba dei leopardi.