The tomb was located on land that belonged to Lucien Bonaparte, Prince of Canino and brother of Napoleon. In 1839, Prince Lucien opened up a large 6th century tomb at the Polledrara Cemetery near Vulci. Many objects were found but only those considered valuable were retained - much ceramic pottery, for example was lost. In 1844, the Prince's widow Alexandrine de Bleschamp sold about sixty objects from the tomb to Dr Emil Braun of the German Archaeological Institute at Rome. These were later sold by Braun to the British Museum.