Tomb of the Whipping

The Tomb of the Whipping is an Etruscan tomb within the Necropolis of Monterozzi near Tarquinia, Italy. It is dated to about 490 BC and named after a fresco of guys who flog a female in an erotic context. The tomb become located and excavated in 1960 through Carlo Maurilio Lerici. Most of the art work are badly damaged. The tomb has one room. Komos members, musicians, dancers and a boxer are painted at the partitions. This endorse an influence of the cult of Dionysus. On the wall inside the returned contrary the entrance two of these figures are separated by way of a false door, a door painted on the wall.

The flagellating may have had a ceremonial nature. Sensual scenes like these had an apotropaic reason to ward off evil spirits from the tomb. They were additionally invigorating and should be deciphered in clear complexity to the imagery of death. Alongside the frescoes of the Tomb of the Bulls these artistic creations are moderately uncommon instances of unequivocal sexual scenes in Etruscan workmanship, which were undeniably increasingly basic in Ancient Greek craftsmanship.