Naples' latest tourist destination reshapes the understanding of ancient history

Famous worldwide for the Roman ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii, which were buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, Naples' newest attraction offers a strikingly different glimpse into the city's past.

Opening in June, the Ipogeo dei Cristallini – the Hypogeum of Cristallini Street – is part of a centuries-old cemetery just beyond the ancient boundaries of Neapolis, the city's name 2,300 years ago.

The cemetery, predating the Roman ruins of Pompeii by over 400 years, is not Roman in origin. It was created by the ancient Greeks, who founded Naples in the 8th century BCE and maintained their Greek identity even after Roman conquest.

Experts say this groundbreaking discovery will reshape our understanding of Naples, ancient Mediterranean cultures, and Greek art. It also offers hope of preventing the potential oversaturation of tourism in the city, a growing concern for its preservation.

Deep within the heart of the city

Forty feet beneath the garden of a 19th-century palace in what is now the Sanità district, a narrow staircase descends to four tombs. Each tomb boasts a unique entrance, one even adorned with Ionic columns on its façade, leading into what is believed to have been the ancient path mourners once walked.

This is only a small section of the vast necropolis once created by the Greeks. In the 4th century BCE, when these tombs were likely constructed, many more would have been carved into the hills surrounding the city, says Luigi La Rocca, Naples' chief archaeologist, who oversees the city’s archaeological heritage.

The ancient Greeks constructed twin-chambered tombs, with an upper room for prayers and a lower one for burial. These were carved into the soft tuff rock, much like creating a cave.

But these aren't just simple caves. The chambers were intricately designed to resemble actual rooms, complete with faux ceiling beams, benches, stairways, and even 'beds' – sarcophagi that housed multiple bodies. Remarkably, everything, from the carved 'pillows' to the intricate details, was sculpted directly into the rock face, rather than being made separately and installed.

Valuable frescoes illuminate the beauty of Greek art

Though now underground, these tombs would have originally been at street level, with grand Ionic columns marking their entrances, symbolizing the high social standing of their occupants. Only the lower chamber was buried beneath the earth.

However, centuries of frequent mudslides – which finally ceased in the 1960s after the sewer system was improved – gradually buried the tombs a few centuries after they were constructed.

This extraordinary preservation, say archaeologists, is one of the tombs' defining features. Remarkably, they still boast their original, vivid wall paintings.

Ancient Greek art is widely recognized, especially in the form of sculpture, which has survived over the centuries.

“Greek painting, however, has almost entirely disappeared. Even in Greece, very little remains, although we know from historical records that it played a significant role,” said Federica Giacomini, who spent the past year overseeing the site's preservation for Italy’s ICR (Central Institute for Conservation), to Dinogo.

“Virtually nothing remains of paintings on wood or furniture, and wall paintings are scarce – the few surviving examples are mainly from Macedonian tombs, which preserve significant mural art, but even that is minimal.”

“While we have abundant Roman paintings, Greek works are much rarer. This discovery is therefore a true rarity and incredibly valuable.”

Deep below ground

The painted tombs offer a strikingly different view of Greek art compared to the familiar white sculptures and buildings (which, originally, would have been painted as well). One tomb features steps painted in scarlet, leading down to a floor designed to mimic red marble. The stone pillows, adorned in turquoise and yellow stripes, are detailed with red cross-hatchings that resemble stitched textiles.

Meanwhile, the walls are richly adorned with frescoes: vibrant garlands draped across columns, blazing candelabras, and vases and dishes used in funeral rites. There's even a depiction of two human figures, believed to be Dionysus and Ariadne, the immortal woman he bestowed life upon.

An intricately sculpted gorgon also graces the tomb – a mythical creature with a woman’s face and snakes for hair, twisting and coiling around her features. This gorgon is the only element in all four tombs that was sculpted separately and affixed, rather than being carved directly from the rock.

On the walls, names are scrawled in ancient Greek, marking the individuals interred within these tombs.

The other three tombs are equally fascinating, though less dramatic. One also features frescoes, though many of them have suffered damage over time. There is hope that future restoration efforts will reveal their beauty once more.

Lining another section are six headstones, each marking the final resting place of an individual. Each one bears the name of the deceased, and concludes with the word 'khaire' – an ancient Greek greeting, similar to the 'ciao' still used by modern Neapolitans.

The tombs also feature niches carved by the Romans, who repurposed them to bury their own after the Greek dynasties had passed. Altogether, the necropolis was used from the late 4th century BCE to the early 1st century CE, before being buried under layers of mudslides.

Scattered throughout are sculptures of individuals, along with traces of portraits – likely representing deceased ancestors, according to Paolo Giulierini, director of the National Archaeology Museum of Naples. The museum houses numerous artifacts from the tombs, including sculptures, vases, and symbols of resurrection like pomegranates and eggs.

A city of the dead, hidden beneath the modern metropolis

These aren’t the only tombs of the ancient necropolis to have been uncovered. La Rocca mentions that approximately 20 tombs have been identified beneath buildings in the Sanità district, which was developed in the 16th century. Some of these still feature paintings, and archaeologist Carlo Leggieri guides tours of five of them – including three tombs with partial frescoes, and another with a sculpted panther. However, according to Giulierini, these tombs are likely the most significant of all those discovered.

Though the tombs were damaged during construction in the 1700s, they were officially discovered in 1899, but have remained closed to the public – until now.

Archaeologists have been closely monitoring the site since May 2021 to assess potential risks. After completing a year of observation, the tombs will be opened for limited visits while restoration efforts begin. Visitors will get to experience the tombs as they were discovered, with the added privilege of witnessing the restoration process as it unfolds.

Experts are optimistic about what lies ahead.

“This site is of immense significance because it provides us with invaluable insights into the beliefs and social organization of Neapolis during the Hellenistic and Roman periods,” La Rocca explained to Dinogo.

Giacomini describes it as “a rare testament to a civilization of which we have very few surviving traces.”

For Giulierini, this discovery highlights the once prominent status of Neapolis (“New City” in Greek) within the ancient Mediterranean. The tombs bear similarities to those found in Macedonia, the birthplace of Alexander the Great, covering what is now North Macedonia and northern Greece.

“This demonstrates that Neapolis was a major international hub,” he told Dinogo, likening it to today’s cultural capitals like New York, London, or Berlin.

Revolutionizing Naples tourism

Giulierini, who oversees tens of thousands of Pompeii and Herculaneum artifacts at his museum, hopes the tombs will also help shift the current narrative, addressing the 'imbalance' in how the city is perceived, often tied only to its Roman ruins.

In fact, while the people of Pompeii were hosting brutal gladiator contests, Neapolis enjoyed a more cultured version of the Greek Olympics, introduced by Emperor Augustus. Another Roman emperor, Nero, performed on the stage in Neapolis before touring Greece. And for centuries, the city's residents had been burying their dead in elaborate painted tombs carved into the hillsides.

Meanwhile, La Rocca hopes the tombs' opening will attract more cultural tourists to Naples, which is currently experiencing a tourism surge.

“Naples has a rich ancient history, but it’s not often regarded as an archaeological city,” he remarked. “The city’s story should be told through its archaeological sites, though most of these are known only to experts. Unfortunately, many monuments remain inaccessible to the public.”

He suggested that 'sustainable tourism focused on cultural preservation' might be a viable future path for the city.

The Ipogeo dei Cristallini will be open for limited visits starting in June. Tours of the other tombs, led by Carlo Leggieri, can be booked via email: carlo.celanapoli[at]gmail.com

Main image: Archivio dell’arte, Pedicini fotografi