Final answer:
The tombs in Pompeii included rock-carved monuments with tumuli, hut-shaped tombs, and others with intricate carvings and paintings. Elite individuals were often buried in tumulus tombs, which were covered by mounds and featured multiple chambers and niches styled to resemble furniture and architectural elements.
Step-by-step explanation:
The different types of tombs in Pompeii reflect the intricate burial practices and the outlook on life and death of the Etruscan culture. Among these burials, one can find monumental tombs carved into rock with tumuli, or burial mounds, on top. These tombs often feature impressive carvings and wall paintings, distinguishing them for their quality and craftsmanship. Etruscan necropolises, such as Banditaccia near Cerveteri, were cities of the dead organized in street-like plans with various neighborhoods, and contained a wide range of tomb styles including trenches, tumuli, and hut-shaped tombs carved out of tufa.
Another common type of Etruscan tomb is the tumulus tomb, which is commonly associated with the social elite and characterized by a mound covering multichambered subterranean rooms. Examples of these can be found in the Sorbo necropolis of ancient Caere. The interiors of the tombs were intricately designed with features such as klinai, the ancient dining couches, and decorative pilasters, and they often housed the remains of entire families. The layout and size of the tombs could vary, with some having multiple chambers occupying the entire floor of a burial pit, as seen in the tomb of Pu-abi.
Furthermore, the oldest parts of these cemeteries contained anthropomorphic tombs which resembled sunken baths and were covered with rock slabs. Together, these tombs provide significant insight into the beliefs and practices of the Etruscan civilization and their sophisticated perception of life after death.