..Etruscan Itineraries
..Cerveteri
..Tarquinia
Etruscan Itineraries
The Etruscan civilization developed between the 8th century and the half of the
1st century BC in an area which consists of Tuscany, Umbria and high Lazio. Also
in Emilia Romagna and Padania important traces of the presence of the Etruscans
can be found.
The Necropolis testimonies of the great importance which was given to the death
of people by the Etruscan. In many tombs objects of gold, jewels, sculptures,
earthenware, bronze objects, sarcophaguses and marvelous parietal pictures have
been found. The Etruscan architecture had a great development, also in the civil
and religious production. The Etruscans worked with perishable goods (wood
and earthenware). Because of this, a part of precious documents is lost.
The Etruscan civilization developed between the 8th century and the half of the
1st century BC in an area which consists of Tuscany, Umbria and high Lazio. Also
in Emilia Romagna and Padania important traces of the presence of the Etruscans
can be found.
The Necropolis testimonies of the great importance which was given to the death
of people by the Etruscan. In many tombs objects of gold, jewels, sculptures,
earthenware, bronze objects, sarcophaguses and marvelous parietal pictures have
been found. The Etruscan architecture had a great development, also in the civil
and religious production. The Etruscans worked with perishable goods (wood
and earthenware). Because of this, a part of precious documents is lost.
Cerveteri
It
is situated near Rome, one of the most richest cities when it comes to remains
of the Etruscan period. Cerveteri is known first of all for the monumental
Necropolis, with tombs from VII to I cent. b.C, but also for a particular kind
of ceramic. In fact in this citadel was invented a type of ceramic called "bucchero":
it is a black and lucid ceramic with decorations impressed with stamps.
Cerveteri with Tarquinia is one of the places, which transmit stronger and
complete imagines of the Etruscan culture.
This city was a great commercial centre during the Etruscan times thanks to the
vicinity of the port of Pyrgi (near by Palo), but after it was conquered by
Romans, Cerveteri lost almost totally its economical and politic importance.
With the passing of centuries it first became a medieval hamlet, and then a
possession of local masters, but always remaining under direct control of
Church’s state.
Nowadays the small-town of Cerveteri has about 23000 habitants and it is a good
place of country-stay thanks to numerous ruins coming from the Etruscan period
but also for its vicinity of Rome.
Tarquinia
Tarquinia
is located near the Marta river and in the IV cent. b.C it was ,without any
doubts, the hegemonic centre of Etruscan culture. In fact the most original and
lively painting school of the Etruscan art developed here, in this locality in
the province of Viterbo. These masterpieces can be admired on the side walls of
tombs called " a camera", which can still be visited.
The ancient seat was abandoned in the VII cent. a.C because a new one, which
nowadays corresponds to the old part of the citadel, was built to assemble a
more numerous number of inhabitants. Between the end of the XII and the
beginning of the XIV cent. a.C the city reached its highest economic floridity
and its maximum grade of political independence. But in the 1362 Tarquinia was
occupied by Albornoz who brought it again under the authority of the Church’s
state. Since this moment the city, without considering the short time in which
governed the splendid seignior of Vitelleschi, went through an irremediable
decadence of prestige.
Today Tarquinia has about fourteen thousand inhabitants and it is a nice village
in medieval style. It is famous first of all for its artistic and historical
beauties, but also for its goldsmiths and for its production of terra-cotta in
Etruscan style.
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