The Urban Development of the Acropolis of Volterra
The urban organization of the Acropolis of Volterra, located on the Piano di Castello plateau at approximately 555 metres above sea level, reveals an exceptional stratigraphic sequence documenting the evolution of the city from the Copper Age (Eneolithic period) to the Late Medieval era.
The Acropolis site has been identified as the driving centre of the entire Volterra settlement process. As early as the end of the 3rd millennium BC (Final Eneolithic period), the area hosted a primitive settlement nucleus that functioned as a “central place” for controlling the mineral resources of the Cecina Valley. This original settlement gradually expanded towards the lower plateau, giving rise to the proto-urban aggregation that developed into the historic city.
By the middle of the 7th century BC, the area had acquired a distinctly public and sacred function.
First Temenos: A stone enclosure wall was built to delimit the sacred area, representing a unique example in northern Etruria for that period. The NE–SW orientation of this structure influenced the layout of all subsequent sacred buildings.
Archaic Buildings: During the second half of the 6th century BC, a small temple (sacellum) decorated with Campanian-style terracotta elements was erected. Around 480 BC, a large Tuscan-type temple (Late Archaic Temple) was built, marking the full urban maturity of the settlement.
During the Hellenistic period, the Acropolis underwent a radical restructuring that defined the monumental appearance visible today.
Temple B and the Enclosures: At the end of the 3rd century BC, Temple B was built above the Late Archaic Temple (maintaining the Tuscan type according to ideological conservatism). The area in front of it was organized into four open-air enclosures (I–IV) intended for cult practices, equipped with cisterns and votive installations (bothroi).
Temple A: Around the middle of the 2nd century BC, Temple A was added. Smaller in size and oriented towards the NE (opposite to Temple B), this building adopted a Greek-style plan mediated through Roman architectural models.
The Démetra District: Along the western edge, a small temple dedicated to Démetra was erected, featuring rooms decorated with First Style frescoes and a paved pathway used for ritual processions.
Scenography and Control: On the eastern edge, in an elevated position, a quadrangular building with mosaic floors (tessellatum) was constructed, interpreted as a watchtower controlling access to the sanctuary.
Crisis and Abandonment: The sanctuary suffered damage during the conflict between Marius and Sulla (82 BC) and was definitively abandoned in the 3rd century AD with the rise of Christianity.
Medieval Period: In the 13th century, the area was occupied by a dense urban district that included the Bishop’s Palace.
