The presence of the Etruscans in Umbria has marked the history and conformation of Orvieto since ancient times, starting from the 6th century BC and stretching over a very long period, leaving important traces that are still visible today both on the surface and underground. As often happens, not only the cities of the living but also those of the dead have become a source of interest and a magnet for archaeologists and modern visitors. In Orvieto, there are two large areas dedicated to the burial of the dead during Etruscan times, positioned respectively north and south of the great cliff of volcanic tuff. They have been extremely well preserved and can now be visited, accompanied by a guide: the Necropoli di Crocifisso del Tufo and the Necropoli della Cannicella. The first takes its name from a crucifix carved in the tufaceous wall of a small Christian church built in the area in the Middle Ages, while the second is so named because of the presence of numerous reeds that surround the area. In both cases, the easily-recognisable rectangular burial spaces are perfectly imbedded in the regular urban layout. Many of the tombs still retain the names of the families that were buried there, while numerous relics and funeral objects found there are now kept in the town’s museums.
There was once also a Sanctuary built on the Necropolis of Cannicella dedicated to the goddess Vei, (the Etruscan Demeter), cited in an inscription found in the area, and attested to by the discovery of one of the most interesting finds in the city’s entire collection: the Venere di Cannicella (the Venus of Cannicella), a female figure from the Greek island of Paro, now displayed at the Museo Faina di Orvieto.