Itineraries following in the footsteps of the Etruscans

Museums and Archaeological sites

Local crafts and traditional products

Festivals and events

CentralEtruria

Enrico Nannetti

Central EtruriaItineraries following in the footsteps of the Etruscans Museums and Archaeological sites Local crafts and traditional productsFestivals and events

This project was partly financed with L135/01 funds

Soprintendenzaper i Beni Archeologicidell’Umbria

© 2008 by Regione Umbria All rights reserved

The Etruscans in Umbria

Etruscans

Umbrii

Sabini

Necropolises

Museums

Perugia4

The numerousarchaeological relics foundin the city centre and in thenecropolises of thesurrounding area bearwitness to the importanceand wealth of this ancientcity in Etruscan times.Indeed, Perugia was one ofthe 12 city-states(Lucumone) of Etruria,which covered modern dayEmilia Romagna, Tuscanyand parts of Umbria, Lazioand Campania.The earliest settlementsdate back to the 11th and10th centuries BC and wereprobably inhabited byUmbrian people.

It was somewhat later, from the 8th century BC, that theEtruscans settled on the hill where the city sits today. Itwas important to them for strategic, military andcommercial reasons.From the hill it was, of course, possible to dominate theimportant route of the river Tiber and keep watch overthe bordering territories of the Umbrii people. There wasbitter rivalry as well as fruitful trade between theEtruscans and the Umbrii.This was why the city was fortified with imposingtravertine walls, which were so effective that they werealso used during later eras.The walls that surrounded the city are visible and wereincorporated into the medieval defence system.

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The imposing Etruscan Arch, alsoknown as the Arch of Augustus,was the main entrance to the cityand a sign of the importance ofthe town at the time. It iscertainly the greatest survivingpiece of Etruscan engineering.Given the importance of the city,the Etruscans not only builtpowerful defence walls but also asystem of cisterns, to supply thecity with water, and importantreligious buildings.As is often true, these religiousbuildings were later replaced withthe churches we can see today. Infact, archaeologists are currentlyworking on excavations at justover ten metres under theexisting cathedral in order toreveal the remains of what wasthe most important temple.

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� Ipogeo di San Manno (San Manno Hypogeum)

Used as a store in the past, here we can see an Etruscan inscription on the entrance that attributesthe sepulchre to the Precu family.Via San Manno, Ferro di Cavallo - To visit, contact: Comunità Magnificat, tel. 075 5057190 - Free entrance

� La necropoli di Strozzacapponi (Strozzacapponi Necropolis)

Far from the Etruscan centre, this necropolis wasdiscovered by chance during the construction of thefoundations for a building. There are a series ofsmall recesses carved into the rock, which indicatethat there was an important settlement in the area. Strozzacapponi - To visit: tel. 075 5140148/49 or ask the staff at the supermarket - Free entrance

� L’Antiquarium di Corciano (Corciano Antiquarium) The museum holds numerous exhibits from the necropolis atStrozzacapponi and from various excavations carried outaround Corciano, which have brought to light interesting evi-dence about Etruscan life. Of particular interest are the remainsof a cart found near San Mariano and various relics found inthe hills around Lake Trasimeno, which indicate that therewere sanctuaries and places of worship in this area. These ex-hibits were transferred here from the museum in Perugia.Corciano, Via Cornaletto - tel. 075 5188256/5 - fax 075 5188237

� Necropoli dello Sperandio (Sperandio Necropolis)A beautiful sarcophagus was discovered here, which is nowpreserved in the National Archaeological Museum in Perugia.Private PropertyTo visit, please book though IAT - tel. 075 5736458075 5772686

� Necropoli di Madonna Alta (Madonna Alta Necropolis)

A series of tombs discovered during the construction of thedual carriageway. There remain just a few blocks of traver-tine and some Etruscan inscriptions indicating the names ofthe families buried here as the site has been looted anddamaged over the years.At the Madonna Alta exit from the E45 - Free entrance

� Tomba del FaggetoThe tomb is situated in a forest of beach trees, from whichit takes its name. It is carved into the sandstone and has anunroofed access dromos. The door is interesting as it ismade from a single stone slab supported by two hinges. San Giovanni del Pantano. At the time of printing this site was not listed among those that may be visited.

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� L’Ipogeo dei Volumni(Volumni Hypogeum)

This site was used from the 6th tothe 1st century BC and is also knownas the Necropoli del Palazzone(Palazzone Necropolis). Its numer-ous chambered tombs were discov-ered in 1840. The most importanttomb is that of the Dei Velimnasfamily. The last descendant of thisfamily lived during the 1st centuryAD: Publius Volumnius Violens; hisname written in Latin bears witnessto the influence the Etruscan culture had on that of the Ro-mans. The structure of the tomb is similar to that of a house.The sepulchre consists of a main vestibule area that leads tovarious other rooms off its sides. Rich interior furnishingswere discovered in the tomb, which are now preserved, part-ly in the Archaeological Museum and partly in the Antiqua-rium here. The fragments of oil lamps found here are particu-larly interesting as they are probably the same lamps thatwere used in the houses where these people lived. In the up-per part of the tomb, just as you enter it, there is the head ofa Gorgon who watches over the urns of the dead.

� Tomba BellaThis small, chamberedtomb dates back to the3rd century BC. There arecarved floral decorationsaround the sides of therecesses. You can enterusing the iron walkwaythat has been installed.

� AntiquariumIn the hypogeum’s new Antiquarium, many of the relicsfound in the tombs are exhibited, such as cinerary vesselsand urns decorated with mythological scenes and scenes ofeveryday life. In particular there is a depiction of kottabos (agame of skill where the dregs of wine left in a goblet werethrown at a copper pole to which varioussizes of discs were attached at variousheights, the aim of the game was tohit the discs with the wine) and abeauty casket very similar to thoseused as trinket boxes these days.Via Assisana, 53 - Ponte S. GiovanniTel. 075 393329 - Opening hours:September - June 9.00-13.00/15.30-18.30, July - August 9.00-13.00/16.30-19.30 (Closed on 25/12, 1/01 and 1/05)

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Parking

Escalators

Minimetrò

Information

Etruscan walls

Rocca Paolina (fortress)

Museums

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� Arco Etrusco (Etruscan Arch)This is the monumental entrance to the Etruscan city. Builtusing travertine around the 2nd or 3rd century BC, the archwas later restored under Augustus as the inscriptions onthe upper part show.

� Mura etrusche (Etruscan walls)To see the walls you just need to walkaround the perimeter of the city. The great blocks of travertine thatwere used to build them are easy tosee, although they have often beenincorporated into medieval buildings.The most important sections of thewalls are to be found beside the Et-ruscan arch, as you walk up Via Ce-sare Battisti, and above GalleriaKennedy (a road tunnel that crosses

the city), under Via della Cupa. At the bottom of this sectionof fortified wall there is a secondary entrance to the city.

� Porta MarziaThe architect Sangallo incorporated part of this city gate intothe Rocca Paolina. He had the gate dismantled in 1540 and

added it to the new fortress as a dec-oration. On the upper part there arevarious statues, somewhat worn bythe ravages of time but which prob-ably represent divinities that protectedthe city. At the top we can see the in-scription Colonia Vibia, which de-notes the status of colony concededto the city by two Roman emperors:Augustus and later Gaio Vibio Trebo-riano Gallo who was from Perugia.

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� Porta Sant’ErcolanoThe remains of the foundation are all that is visible of thisancient city gate. The narrow peaked arch that we see to-day is clearly medieval.

� Porta Eburnea This gate also has Etruscan origins, whichcan be seen from the large blocks used tobuild the base. The arch itself is medievaland in medieval times, going through thearch was thought to bring good fortune.So much so that the Baglioni led theirtroops out of the city by this gate at thebeginning of every military campaign.

� Arco dei GigliThe arch faces east towards the riverTiber. The same travertine blocks used tobuild the city walls can be seen here too.

� Porta TrasimenaThis is one of the five original gates to theEtruscan city. The curved arch, supportedby the ancient Etruscan stone blocks,dates back to restoration work carried outduring the medieval period. At the top wecan see a Common Dace carved into thestone, a fish typical to this area and one ofthe species present in Lake Trasimeno.The gate faces Lake Trasimeno and ofcourse, takes its name from the lake.

� Pozzo Etrusco (Etruscan well)This is a masterful example of hydraulic engineering and evi-dence of the construction techniques used by the Et-ruscans. Water supply was a problem shared by all fortifiedEtruscan cities as they were all built on hilltops for safetyand defence reasons. The Romans later adopted the samehydraulic engineering techniques. Water arrived in the city through networks of aqueductsand was then stored in cisterns and wells. The Pozzo Etrusco is one ofthese wells. It was built dur-ing the second half of the 3rd

century BC and is situatedunder Piazza Piccinino, be-side the cathedral. Tel. 075 5733669 - Opening hours:April - October 10.00-13.30/14.30-18.00, November - March 11.00-13.30/14.30-18.30 (Open every dayduring April and August, closed onMondays during the rest of the year)

� Museo Archeologico Nazionale(National Archaeological Museum)

Situated in the Convent of SanDomenico, next to the church of

the same name, the museumboasts a large collection ofEtruscan relics from thenecropolises of Umbria.

On the basement floor thecomplete tomb of the Cai

Cutu family is on display. Thistomb was found in Monteluceand transferred here to themuseum. Inside the tomb wecan see various items offurnishing, such as servingdishes, a kottabos and severalweapons, in addition to thenumerous family urns. On the first floor, on theright, there are a large num-ber of urns, found in the Um-brian countryside. The more

sophisticated of these show the deceased laid out on top ofthe urn, while the sides are decorated withmythological scenes and scenes of everyday life. On some of these, traces of the colours used todecorate them can still be seen. The traditionalurns are square with pyramid shaped lids; thesehad no decoration but were inscribed withthe name of the deceased. Burial siteswere marked with fune-real tombstones.

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Perugia 13

The collection also holds a large num-ber of items from the funereal interiorsof the necropolises discovered in themunicipality of Perugia.There are artefacts made of gold, glass

and ceramic as well as anumber of weapons,

small bronze vo-tives and mirrors

made of decorated bronze.

The collection is even more inter-esting if we examine the writtenand artistic documentation itcontains. For example the Spe-randio Sarcophagus, found inthe necropolis known by thesame name, can be consideredone of the first documents of thecity’s history. On its sides thereare images of banquet scenesand on the front there is a largefrieze where a military victory isdepicted.

Much more impor-tant is the Cippo Pe-rugino (Cippus ofPerugia), shown inthe photograph on

the bottom right ofthe page. This is one of

the longest documentswritten in Etruscan that still survives today. The stone dates back to the 3rd or 2nd cen-tury BC and was engraved to mark theboundary between the land owned by theVelthina family and that of the Afuna fami-ly. The tomb of the Velthina family was alsodiscovered on this land. Thanks to the longstring of Etruscan words inscribed on thestone we now have a better knowledge ofthis mysterious form of writing.

Museo Archeologico Nazionale dell’UmbriaPiazza Giordano Bruno, 10 For information: tel. 075 5727141/142Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday 8.30-19.30,Monday 10.30-19.30Closed on the 1 May, 25 December and 1January

� BettonaThe town’s origins are Etruscan; it rests on a hilltopthat boasts a stunning view. It is a dominatingand strategic position as the city may be easilydefended from this height, which would also haveallowed them to keep watch over the surroundingterritory. Little evidence of the Etruscan era sur-vives. The Etruscan walls can be distinguishedfrom the medieval ones as they were built usingmuch larger blocks, although these are visible inonly a few places. In the Palazzo del Podestà thereis a small collection of artefacts found in the area.Outside the walls, in the direction of Torgiano,there is a chambered tomb, which was used fromthe 3rd century BC to the 1st century AD.The items from the interior of this tomb areconserved in the Archaeological Museum in Pe-rugia, although some urns remain in situ.Pinacoteca Comunale (Municipal Art Gallery), PiazzaCavour, 3 - Tel. 075 987306 - Opening hours: November -

February (Closed on Mondays) 10.30-13.00/14.30-17.00, March, April,May, September and October (Open every day) 10.30-13.00/14.00-18.00, June, July and August (Open every day) 10.30-13.00/15.00-19.00

� TorgianoMuseo del Vino (Museum of Wine)The museum holds a collection ofEtruscan urns and serving dishes found inthe area. They are decorated with vari-ous scenes connected to wine. The col-lection also contains artefacts from various historical eras thatshow the process of making wine and how that process haschanged over the centuries, up to the modern day.

Museo dell’Olivo e dell’Olio (Museum of the Oliveand Olive Oil)The Etruscans learnt how to cultivate olive trees and thetechniques for producing olive oil from the Greeks, thanksto the contact created between the two civilisationsthrough trade. The land in Central Etruria was perfect forolive growing and the oil produced was considered to beof excellent quality. In Imperial times it was already themost important and profitable agricultural crop in the re-gion. In this educational museum there are no Etruscanartefacts but the exhibition illus-trates the history of the produc-tion and the trade of this preciousproduct through the ages.

Tel. 075 9880200/300 - Opening hours:open every day throughout the year (Closed

on December 25) Summer: 9.00-13.00/15.00-19.00 Winter: 9.00-13.00/15.00-18.00

The Tiber Valley14

� DerutaThis town is famous for its production of artistic ceramics.The town museum holds a vast collection of vessels andfragments from various places and eras. Among theseare several examples of Etruscan ware. Museo Regionale della Ceramica (Regional Museum of Ceramics):Largo San Francesco, 1 - Deruta (Pg) - Tel. 075 9711000 -Opening hours: April - June 10.30-13.00/15.00-18.00, July -September 10.00-13.00/15.30-19.00, October - March 10.30-13.00/14.30-17.00 (Closed on Tuesdays, and on the 25/12 and 1/01)

� MarscianoAs far back as it is possible to go, there have been terra-cotta works in this region, thanks to the abundance of rawmaterial provided by the river Tiber. The history of the tech-niques used to work terracotta is ex-plained by means of an educational tourwithin the museum. Among the nu-merous exhibits from various historiceras, there is also a set of Etruscan bur-ial objects.Museo Dinamico del Laterizio e delle Terrecotte(Dynamic Museum of brick and terracotta):Marsciano - Palazzo Pietromarchi, Piazzetta SanGiovanni - tel. 075 8741152 - Opening hours:November - March 10.30-13.00/15.00-17.30, April - October 10.30-13.00/16.00-18.30 (Closed 25\12 and 1\01)

� TodiThis Etruscan city was founded between the 8th and 7th cen-turies BC. It grew and developed during the 5th and 4th cen-turies BC. Then in 340 BC it came under Roman rule and ac-quired the name ‘Colonia Julia Fida Tuder’ (1st century BC).The town sits on a hilltop a little over 400 metres above sealevel, looking out over the central part of the Tiber valley. InEtruscan times it was an outpost on the boarder betweenEtruria and the land occupied by the Umbrii, west of theTiber. Its name comes from the Umbrian word Tuder, whichmeant boarder land, and it was because of its position that itbecame strategically important in trade between the Umbriiand the Etruscans. Little evidence of this era survives in thecity today. The Etruscan walls have been renovated and ex-tended at various points in history, so much so that today, itis possible to see just short sections of the original walls nearPorta Marzia. In the museum on the second floor of the mu-nicipal buildings, there is a display of numerous exhibits thatbear witness to the key role played by the city in trade be-tween the Etruscans, the Umbrii and the Romans. Museo Civico (Municipal Museum): Piazza del Popolo 29/30 - Todi(Pg) - tel. 075 8944148 - Opening hours: November - March 10.30-13.00/14.30-17.00, April - October 10.00-13.30/15.00-18.00 Closed onMondays (except holiday Mondays) and on the 25/12 and the 1/01(open in the afternoon only)

The Tiber Valley 15

Orvieto16

It is rather difficult toreconstruct thehistory of this city asit has beenabandoned by itsinhabitants anddestroyed more than

once. For this reason, among archaeologists it has becomeone of the most popular places to carry out large-scaleexcavations. It is not clear if the original Etruscan city ofVelzna also known as Volsinii Veteres sat on the rockycrag itself or on its slopes. Despite these question marks,there have been important finds both on the crag itselfand in the surrounding area, which goes to show that itwas an area peppered with settlements. As it was in acentral position within the territory occupied by theEtruscans, ancient Orvieto was the most important city. Itis not by chance that it could be defined much like amodern religious and political capital. The great numberof sacred buildings on the rocky outcrop and in thesurrounding area is an indicator of this significance.Etruria was neither a kingdom nor an empire, but aleague of city-states. Each of these city-states wasadministrated by a Lucumone. The 12 Lucumone were independent, although when theneed arose they united in order to face difficult times. The12 Lucumone gathered together once a year to carry outreligious rites and at this meeting they decided whatpolicies to adopt and drew up important alliances. Thistook place in a religious complex called the FanumVoltumnae. The importance of the ceremonies held therewas such that even the Romans were forced to allowthese ancient religious rituals to continue although theirpolitical relevance had been eliminated. Later with thearrival of Christianity, the Fanum was forgotten although asmall church was constructed in the area. Today this areais the focus of large-scale excavations.

� Necropoli del Vallone(Vallone Necropolis)

About 30 km from Orvieto there isa town called Montecchio. In thepast there was a settlement in thecountryside that surrounds thetown. Roman historians confirmthe position and the existence ofthis settlement, which was consid-ered fundamental from a militaryand commercial point of view. Theexcavations have substantiatedthis theory, bringing to light alarge pre-Roman necropolis and a later rural settlement thatdates back to early Imperial times. In the town of Tenagliethere is an Antiquarium, which conserves the things thathave been found during these excavations.Necropoli del Vallone: San Lorenzo - Free entrance - Antiquarium di Tenaglie: Via del Barracano, 1 - Tenaglie - Tel. 0744 951698montecchio@sistemamuseo.it - Opening hours: 11.00-12.00/16.30-17.30

� Tomba degli Hescana (Hescana Tomb)This tomb, from the 4th century BC is the on-ly one where there are still paintings on thewalls. The paintings depict the deceased’sjourney onwards to the next world, banquetpreparations and the ceremonial rites per-formed. It is also possible to visit the twoGolini tombs in Porano. These no longer con-tain their original painted decoration as thepaintings have been removed and are nowconserved in the National ArchaeologicalMuseum in Orvieto.Settecamini - Porano - Visits are possible on request,tel. 338 2929520 - Free entrance

� Necropoli di Caldane (Caldane Necropolis)The necropolis dates back to the 6th century BC and containsaround 40 tombs. These sepulchre were dug into the earth,each one consists of a square chamber with raised benchesalong the sides and a central passage, which canbe accessed from an external corridor. The interiorfunereal furnishings found here were extremely in-teresting; amongst these there was a precious mir-ror. Some of these archaeological finds can beseen in the National Archaeological Museum inOrvieto. It is highly likely that the access route tothe necropolis was a road that connected variousEtruscan and Roman settlements situated betweenVia Cassia and Via Traiana Nova.Caldane - Castel ViscardoFor information: 0763 361010 - Free entrance

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Parking

Funicular Railway

Information

Museums

Necropolises

Archaeological Sites

Orvieto 19

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� The rocky crag on whichOrvieto standsThe crag is a giant outcrop oftravertine that rises verticallyfrom the ground, reaching aheight of 50 metres. On thisraised plinth sits the city of Orvie-to, which has used it as a bolt-hole for thousands of years. Atthe bottom of the crag there is amarked path that leads youalong the track around the facesof the crag and also into the city.

� Tempio Belvedere(Belvedere Temple)

The temple was discovered in1828 after work had been carriedout on Via Cassia Nuova. There islittle left of the original structure.What remains of the decorativefeatures is conserved in the Na-tional Archaeological Museum. Atthe archaeological site the base of

the temple can be plainly seen. It was probably dedicated tothe Etruscan divinity Tinia, who corresponds with the Romandivinity Jupiter. There is also clear evidence that the templewas destroyed by fire more than once over the years.

� Pozzo della CavaThis well is carved directly into the travertine of therocky crag on which Orvieto stands. It is 36 metresdeep and it is filled a few metres deep with spring wa-ter. It is a fine example of Etruscan hydraulic engi-neering, which was also used in later eras as we cansee from the various artefacts found here. These canbe seen in the well’s small Antiquarium.Via della Cava 28 - tel. 0763 342373 - Opening hours: 9.00 to20.00. Closed on Mondays (except holiday Mondays)

� Via della Cava Archaeological Site

In the summer if 1965 a sec-tion of medieval wall col-lapsed, bringing to light an-other large wall. It is thoughtto be a defensive structurefrom Etruscan times. It isprobable that it dates back tothe 6th or the 5th century BC. Via della Cava. Info: 0763 341234 -339 2489666. Visits byappointment - Free entrance

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� Museo Archeologico Nazionale(National Archaeological Museum)Here there are displays of many of theitems found during the excavations car-ried out on the archaeological sites andnecropolises around Orvieto as well as

artefacts found duringthe course of construc-tion work in the city cen-tre. The interiors found inthe various tombs of theNecropoli del Crocifisso,the Hescana Tomb andthe Golini Tombs are conserved here. Thefrescoes taken from the walls of the GoliniTombs are also exhibited. Palazzo Papale, Piazza del Duomo - tel. 0763341039 - Open every day 08.30-19.30 (Closed on1/05, 25/12 and 1/01)

� Museo Claudio Faina e Museo Civico (TheClaudio Faina Museum and the Municipal Museum)The municipal museum is on the ground floor of PalazzoFaina and it conserves the archaeological finds from theCannicella Sanctuary, Tempio Belvedere, and the Necropolidel Crocifisso as well as those from other excavations car-ried out in the Orvieto district. On the first floor the col-lection of the Counts of Faina is displayed. This collectionof over three thousand items includes Etruscan Bucchero

ware, vessels and bronzes. Among the many workson display here, several stand out: the bronze foculo(a type of brazier), its sides decorated with four sea

horses, the Cannicella ‘Venus’, and the sarcophagusfrom Torre San Severo, which is decorated all over

with mythological scenes and Homeric poetry. Palazzo Faina, Piazza Duomo 29 - tel. 0763 341216,341511 - www.museofaina.it - fainaorv@tin.it - Open31 March - 28 September 9.30-18.00, 29 September -

30 March 10.00-17.00 (Closed on Mondays)

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� Fanum VoltumnaeThe remains of the federal Etruscansanctuary were discovered not farfrom Orvieto. Sources from the peri-od tell us that it was known asFanum Voltumnae. The sanctuarywas dedicated to the divinity ‘Vol-tumna’ or ‘Vertumno’, which proba-

bly has a correspondence to the divinity Tinia (Et-ruscan equivalent of Jupiter). Every year in thespring the Lucumone, the leaders of the 12 mostimportant Etruscan cities, held religious celebra-tions and made political decisions here. The area isstill being excavated therefore anyone who wishesto visit should contact Discovery Orvieto-Intrageo(see page 26). At the end of the excavation season,this organisation provides an opportunity for visi-tors to see this important archaeological site.

� Santuario e Necropoli della Cannicella(Cannicella Sanctuary and Necropolis)

The Archaeological site of the Cannicella necropolis is atthe foot of Orvieto’s rocky crag. The necropolis takes its

name from the place where it is situated. The sitewas looted several times in the past, tombs hadbeen broken into and valuable artefacts removed.A new dig has brought to light the remains of anancient sanctuary. Given that a statue of a woman(the Cannicella ‘Venus’) and a system of wells andcanals to conduct water have been found, it isthought that the sanctuary was probably connec-ted to the worship of a female divinity, a goddessof fertility or water. As in the case of the Fanum,

anyone who wishes to visit should contact Discovery Orvie-to-Intrageo (see page 26).

� Necropoli del Crocifisso (Necropolis of the Crucifix)At the foot of the crag a chamber has been hollowed outof the rock to create a chapel and inside a crucifix has beencarved into the wall. It is from this that Necropoli del Croci-fisso takes its name. The necropolis includes various tombs

built using blocks of travertine. Thesepulchres are like little houses; eachone has the name of the family in-scribed in Etruscan above the lintel.The oldest tombs date back to thefirst half of the 4th century BC andthe end of the 5th century BC. Some on the items found here can beseen in the Antiquarium while therest are on display in the National Ar-chaeological Museum in Orvieto.

Etruscan Cooking 23

� WineAn energising drink that comple-mented food, wine was an integralpart of the Mediterranean diet andwas often consumed during cere-monies and banquets, this muchcan be seen from the finds madeduring archaeological excavations.Although the technique of makingwine is largely unchanged the endproduct has undergone manychanges and wine, as we know ittoday, is very different from theproduct that Etruscans would havedrunk.

� Olive OilIn ancient times oil was a very im-portant substance. The Etruscansused it not only for cooking, butalso as fuel for lamps and in medi-cal remedies.

� Torta al testoThis is a type of flat bread madewith flour and water. It is cooked ona stone slab or ‘testo’ from which ittakes its name. It can be eaten sim-ply as bread or filled with curedmeats, cheeses and vegetables.

� StrangozziThis was the first type of pasta cre-ated by the Etruscans. Strangozziare made using flour and water.The dough is rolled out into quite athick sheet and then cut intostrips. Each strip is then rolled be-tween the palms of your hands tomake a kind of thick spaghetti.

� LambThe Etruscans ate lamb either roast-ed or stewed. The meat was hungand prepared with red wine; it wascooked using aromatic Mediter-ranean herbs, just as it is today.

� GameAt the time, given the means avail-able, game was very difficult tocatch. Wild boar hunting wasdone in groups with the help ofhunting dogs and the animal waskilled using spears. The meat washung to diminish its strong gameyflavour, exactly as it is today. In theforests, wood pigeons were hunt-ed using bows and arrows and themeat was eaten roasted.

� ChestnutsIn ancient times this was one ofthe staple foods of the Etruscan di-et. The chestnut tree not only pro-vided precious food but also woodfor making things. Chestnuts wereeaten either boiled or roasted.They could also be ground to makeflour for baking.

� PulsesThese played a fundamental role inthe diet of times past. They wereboth a tasty agricultural productand a good source of carbohy-drates and proteins. Among thepoorer classes meat was consid-ered a luxury item and thereforethe protein provided by pulses waseven more important. We knowthat the Etruscans regularly atebeans, chickpeas and broad beansin the form of soups and in focac-cia prepared with different types offlour, much as we do today.

� SpeltSpelt is a grain of the Gramineaefamily. The Etruscans used it in

soups and side dishes.

Etruscan Cooking24

� Dried fruits, nuts, cheeses and honey

There is no documentation on theuse of these ingredients in Et-ruscan cooking. We can only ima-gine the various uses that theywere put to based on how they areused in the Tuscan and Umbrianculinary traditions. Dried fruit andnuts are indeed, often eaten andenjoyed together with cheese andhoney. In Etruscan times honeywas very precious as it was the on-ly ingredient that could be used tosweeten other foods. Sugar, ex-tracted from beet, was only intro-duced to Europe after the discoveryof America.

Oro degli EtruschiPettirossi Ulderico GiuseppeCorso Vittorio Emanuele II, 10Torgiano (PG)

OrogamiMassimo & Tiziana AloisioVia del Duomo, 14/16 Orvieto (TR)

Orificeria TrequattriniCorso Cavour, 47Orvieto (TR)

L‘Arte del VasaioPaolo GoliaGreek and EtruscanreproductionsVia Pedota, 3/a Orvieto (TR)

Terracotta whistlesEde Napoletti Ripabianca Deruta (PG)

OrvietannaAnna SpallacciaVicolo dei Dolci, 2 Orvieto (TR)

Ceramiche RolliCesare Calandrini Villanovan, Greek andEtruscan reproductionsVia Tiberina, 86Deruta (PG)

Traditions and Crafts 25

� TerracottaRight from the dawn of the Etruscancivilisation they were able to makeclay artefacts and building materialsdue to the abundance of clay andwater available in the Tiber valley.Today there are still many artisansworking with clay, some makecopies of vessels found in the areawhile others use the same tech-niques to make artistic creations.

� GoldsmithsGold has always been consideredthe metal of the Gods due to thefact that it does not oxidise. The Et-ruscans’ gold artefacts are still withus thousands of years later thanksto their custom of burying preciousitems belonging to the deceasedalong with them. It has been possi-ble to examine and reproducepieces of Etruscan work. This an-cient people’s skill in producing highquality gold work is remarkable.

Ceramics by Cesare Calandrini

Jewellery by Ulderico Giuseppe Pettirossi

� Velimna: gli Etruschi del fiume (Velimna: The Etruscans of the River)

This event has been taking placefor many years in the area aroundPerugia. The traditions, customsand culture of the Etruscan peopleare re-enacted, including Etruscangames, music, food and ancientceremonies. Each year a special theme from Et-

Activities and Events 26

ruscan culture is celebrated andthis means that those who attendhave the opportunity to take partin a unique and original event. The event begins in the first few days ofSeptember in Ponte San Giovanni - PerugiaFor information: Pro Ponte, tel. 075 396803 (secretary and fax) email: proponte@libero.it website: http:\\velimna.com

� Discovery Orvieto-IntrageoNormally it is not possible to visitthose archaeological sites whereexcavations are still in progress.However, thanks to the opportuni-ty provided by this association it ispossible to visit sites that are notyet open to the public. In addition,Discovery Orvieto-Intrageo orga-nises cultural events and activities.For their programme of guided tours andevents: www.discoveryorvieto.it,info@discoveryorvieto.it,www.intrageo.com, info@intrageo.com

Activities and Events 27

� Orvieto UndergroundThese specialist guides offer tours ofsubterranean Orvieto. The under-ground tunnels and chambers werefirst carved out by the Etruscans.Later they were reused and exten-ded at various times.The Orvieto Underground guided tour

departs from the Tourist InformationOffice, Piazza Duomo no. 24. There aretours every day from 1 March to 31January at the following times: 11.00,12.15, 16.00 and 17.15 (in the busiesttourist periods there are tours every 15minutes). In February tours are limited toSaturdays and Sundays, at the sametimes stated above. There are no tours onthe 25 December. For information:www.orvietounderground.it, tel: 0763344891 - mobile: 347 3831472.

� Orvieto con GustoThis is a food and wine event thattakes place in Orvieto in the firstfew days of October. During theevent there are several placeswhere you can taste the delicacieson offer and rediscover the tradi-tional foods of this area. If youconsult the programme it is alsopossible to take part in varioustheme dinners held all over thecity. At these events you will beable to taste some of the agricul-tural produce that has been usedsince Etruscan times. For information on the Orvieto con Gustoprogramme and events visitwww.orvietocongusto.it E-mail: info@orvietocongusto.it - Office:Comune di Orvieto, Via Garibaldi, 1.

Etruria by Bicycle28

DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL: TorgianoDISTANCE: 27.5 kmOVERALL CHANGE IN ALTITUDE: 250 metresLEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: easyROAD SUFACE: Tarmac and unsurfacedTYPE OF BICYCLE ADVISED: hybrid or mountain bike

� TORGIANO AND DERUTA ON THE TRAIL OF

Etruria by Bicycle 29

0 KM Depart from Torre Baglioni, justtwo minutes walk from the oldtown centre. It is possible topark here. Leave the village, go-ing down hill in the direction ofDeruta and Bettona.

0.5 KM Turn right at the traffic lightsand head towards Bettona,Deruta and Bevagna.

1.5 KM Once you have gone over thebridge on the river Chiascio,turn right and follow the signsfor Deruta.

3.5 KM At the junction near Pontenuo-vo go straight on towardsDeruta.

6.5 KM At Deruta you will pass throughthe lower part of the village,you should then follow thesigns for Casalina; go on forabout 200 metres.

11 KM When you reach the junction atCasalina turn right and followthe signs for Papiano.

13.5 KM Turn right and go towards thetrain station at Papiano. Beforeyou reach the level crossingthat takes you back onto themain road, turn right onto thesecondary road that follows therailway.

14.8 KM Unsurfaced road begins here.Continue, following the railway.

15.6 KM Unsurfaced road ends here. Atthe junction with the Tarmacroad, take the second right andgo down a narrow road thattakes you through the fields.

16.8 KM Continue, keeping to the right.17.6 KM At the junction with the SP377

turn left and go into Fanciullata.Turn right at the next junctionand go towards Perugia andSan Nicolò di Celle.

18.7 KM Keep to the right.20.4 KM At the junction with the SP375

turn right and then continue un-til you reach San Martino inCampo.

23.5 KM At the roundabout in San Marti-no in Campo turn right and gotowards Torgiano and Bevagna.

25.3 KM Once you have gone over theE45 flyover, keep to the rightand go towards Torgiano.

26.5 KM At the wine producer, Lungarot-ti, the hill that takes you up toTorgiano begins.

27.5 KM At the top of the hill turn rightand return to where you depart-ed from.

WINE AND MAJOLICA

0 KM Depart from the car park infront of the church in Ciconia,just under the rocky crag ofOrvieto. Go left at the round-about and then go left again to-wards Todi and Monte Peglia.

1.5 KM Continue towards Todi and goup hill towards Prodo. You arenow on the Strada dell’Olio Ex-travergine d’Oliva DOP Umbria(Umbrian trail for Extra VirginOlive Oil DOP).

10 KM At Colonnetta, continue to-

Etruria by Bicycle30

DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL: CiconiaDISTANCE: 87 kmOVERALL CHANGE IN ALTITUDE: 2,000 metresLEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: difficult ROAD SUFACE: TarmacTYPE OF BICYCLE ADVISED: road orhybrid bikeTHINGS TO SEE IN THE AREA: Orvieto,Todi, Civitella del Lago, Baschi andLake Corbara

� FROM ORVIETO TO TODI AROUND LAKE

Etruria by Bicycle 31

CORBARA

wards Todi. You will reach thetop of the hill here.

16.5 KM At Prodo, continue along theSS79bis towards Todi.

20.7 KM At Poggio Torrone, follow thesigns for Todi.

28.5 KM The village of Quadro.37.5 KM Here you will reach the bottom of

the hill. At the junction with theSS448 turn left towards Todi.

37.8 KM Turn right and go towards Todi,cross the bridge that takes youover the river Tiber. Now you

begin going up hill towards thecentre of Todi.

40.5 KM Turn right in the direction ofFiore and Izzalini. You will reachthe top of the hill here. If youcontinue for another kilometreyou will reach the centre of Todi.

43 KM At the junction go towards Izza-lini and Fiore. You will begin togo up hill here, towards Fiore.

46.5 KM At Fiore, continue along theSP380.

49 KM There is a fork in the road atCamerata, continue along theSP34 towards Izzalini. Here youwill reach the bottom of the hill.

50 KM The village of Izzalini.52 KM Start going up the hill towards

Civitella del Lago.52.5 KM Continue in the direction of

Montecchio.55.5 KM At Morre keep going towards

Montecchio.56.5 KM Continue, going towards Mon-

tecchio and Civitella del Lago.Now you are on the Strada deiVini Etrusco-Romani (Etruscanand Roman Wine Trail).

61 KM Turn right and go towardsCivitella del Lago. You willreach the top of the hill here.

65 KM At the junction for Orvieto, keepgoing straight on towards themedieval town centre of Civitel-la del Lago. From here you havea fantastic view of Lake Cor-bara. There is a drinking foun-tain here.

66 KM Once you have seen the oldtown, go back to the junctionfor Orvieto. Turn right here andgo towards Orvieto and Baschi.

69 KM Continue in the direction ofBaschi.

72 KM At the junction with the SS448,go left towards Orvieto.

75 KM Once you have passed the dam,turn right and go towards Cor-bara. Here it is possible to havea pleasant walk across the dam.

75,8 KM At Corbara, turn left towardsOrvieto.

86 KM At Ciconia, you will come to ajunction with the SS79bis, turnleft here and go towards Orvie-to. At the roundabout, turn rightand go towards Arezzo and Fi-culle.

87 KM Turn right towards the church.End of itinerary.

Images and Photographs

Property of the photographic archives of Regione Umbria: Sandro Bellu, Fabio Menghi, Anna Raccuja and M. Roncella (1994)

The photographic archives of theSuperintendence for ArchaeologicalHeritage in Umbria

The digital archives of the AugustaMunicipal Library

The photographic archives of theLungarotti Foundation

The photographic archives of Pozzo della Cava

Sviluppumbria: Enrico Nannetti

Bottega Orafa Oro degli Etruschi:Pettirossi Ulderico

Ceramiche Rolli: Calandrini Cesare

Cartography

Futura Soc. Coop.

Cycling Itineraries by

Nicola Checcarelli; for Iter Edizioni maps

Printed by

Tipolitografia Petruzzi (Città di Castello)

Printed in November 2008

Many thanks to

The Superintendence for ArchaeologicalHeritage in Umbria

The Augusta Municipal Library

The Library of the Pietro VannucciAcademy of Art

The National Archaeological Museum of Perugia

The Palazzone Antiquarium

The Lungarotti Foundation’s Museums of Oil and Wine

Discovery-Orvieto / Intrageo

Pro-Ponte – Velimna

Pozzo della Cava

The Claudio Faina Foundation

The National Archaeological Museum of Orvieto

The Necropolis of the Crucifix

APT in Umbria

The Marsciano Museum

The Deruta Museum

The Todi Art Gallery

The Bettona Art Gallery

Co-ordination, graphic design and editing

Futura Soc. Coop., Perugia

This project was partly financed with L135/01 funds

Soprintendenzaper i Beni Archeologicidell’Umbria