But we must also keep in mind the suppositions of some experts who would place both Volsinii Veteres (i.e. "Ancient" Volsinii) and Volsinii Novi (i.e. "New" Volsinii) on the site of the present day Bolsena while finding at Orvieto the ancient Salpinum, or the seat of the Fanum Voltumnae, the "national" sanctuary of the Etruscans.

The favourable location, which facilitated contacts with the Faliscan and Umbrian territories, and the natural routes of communication that linked the city with the coastal metropoleis of Tarquinia, Caere and Vulci all allowed for outstanding development of the city of Orvieto. Even though there is evidence from the Early Bronze Age and the Iron Age which testify to the habitation of Orvieto in prehistoric and protohistoric times, the greatest economic and cultural vitality can be found in the period between the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. The majority of the tombs coming from the beautiful necropolis of the Crucifix of Tufo come from this period. The unusual feature of this burial place is that it has a city-like plan, obviously reflecting that of the Etruscan cities.

The tombs are located along streets which intersect one another at right angles forming blocks. They are constructed of large blocks of tufa with a vestibule and burial chamber with two benches. The covering is a kind of false vault covered over with a mound of earth, topped with a cippus. On the facade, along the architrave of the door, there is often an inscription which indicated the owner of the tomb.

Another large burial place, in the area south of the Orvieto plateau is the one known as the Cannicella, where the tombs (constructed of or carved out of the tufa) are laid out on various levels, but here again are small streets which once again reveal the intention of organising the necropolis in an urban fashion. The typology of the tombs is similar to that of the tombs in the Crucifix of Tufo necropolis, even though here there is evidence of tombs from as early as the 7th century BCE. In the centre of the necropolis, traces of a higher, square blocked construction have been discovered, the purpose of which we are uncertain of.

Also discovered there were objects made of bronze and terracotta and a small well known archaic marble statue of a divinity, perhaps Aphrodite, which is known as the Cannicella Venus. This is preserved in the local museum.

There are indications and evidence of a number of temples at various points in the city, but the most important one, about which we have some documentation, is the Belvedere Temple, not far from the famous Well of St. Patrick. The temple is built on a large base, approached by a stairway, and it is on of the canonic Etruscan type with three chambers and a colonnade at the front. The plentiful clay material attests to a series of decorations from the 5th to the 3rd centuries BCE.

From another sanctuary discovered at a place called San Lorenzo come the important remains of refined terracottas which were influenced by the contemporaneous Greek production of the post-Phidias era.

Three painted tombs have also been discovered around the city: two of these at a place called Settecamini are named Golini I and II, after the man who discovered them. They are from the 4th century BCE. The third tomb (3rd century BCE) is at Castel Rubello and is called the Tomb of the Hescanas, after the family who owned the hypogaeum. The paintings from the Golini tombs have been removed from the walls and are preserved in the Archaeological Museum of Florence.

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