Velathri. History and Archaeology of the City of Volterra
The history of Volterra, ancient Velathri, is that of an urban centre with a millenary continuity of life, whose development was profoundly shaped by its dominant geographical position and by the control of the rich mineral resources of the Cecina Valley.
The Acropolis (Piano di Castello), due to its dominant position and long history of occupation, can be considered the driving centre of the settlement process (FIG. 1). The ceramic material discovered at the site, dating from the Final Eneolithic period (end of the 3rd millennium BC), indicates that the area was already frequented during this period.
During the Bronze Age, the site was continuously occupied by communities of pastoralists and metalworkers. In the Final Bronze Age, between the 12th and 10th centuries BC, the hilltop settlement began to expand towards the lower plateau, gradually transforming into a proto-urban settlement (FIG. 2–3).
-
- Fig. 1 – Ricostruzione altimetrica del pianoro dell’Acropoli
-
- Fig. 2 – Ceramiche dell’età del bronzo
-
- Fig. 3 – Gruppo di materiali protovillanoviani da un insediamento prospiciente la necropoli delle Ripaie
With the beginning of the Iron Age, a widespread process of village aggregation took place throughout Etruria, as scattered settlements across the territory gradually converged towards larger and more extensive centres, thus initiating the formation of the cities of the historical period. The main historical stages can be summarized as follows:
Villanovan Period: The presence of the Ripaie necropolis, with tombs dating to the 9th century BC, attests to the beginning of the city formation process. During the advanced phase of the Villanovan period (8th century BC), the occupation of the plateau became widespread, as demonstrated by the rich “princely” tombs (e.g. the Tomb of the Warrior) surrounding the settlement (FIG. 4–5).
During the Orientalizing Period, in the second quarter of the 7th century BC (675–650 BC), the first temenos (sacred enclosure wall) in stone was built on the Acropolis, representing the earliest monumental sacred evidence in northern Etruria (FIG. 6).
During the Archaic Period, around the middle of the 6th century BC (550 BC), the construction of the first city wall circuit marked the achievement of full urban maturity. During this period, the sanctuary was monumentalized with a small shrine (sacellum) decorated with terracotta elements produced by Campanian craftsmen (FIG. 7).
-
- Fig. 4 – Ceramiche orientalizzanti
-
- Fig. 5 – Tombe etrusche arcaiche
-
- Fig. 6 – Scavi dell’Acropoli, planimetria generale
Urban Development: Between the end of the 4th and the 3rd century BC, the great city wall circuit was built, extending for a total length of 7.2 km and enclosing an area of 116 hectares.
Economy and Art: The city minted its own coinage (Velathri) and was renowned for the production of refined black-glazed pottery and its famous funerary urns made of alabaster and tuff.
Religion: The Acropolis housed two major temples (A and B) and a district dedicated to the cult of Demeter.
-
- Fig 18 – La grande cinta muraria
-
- Fig. 10 – Templi A e B
Romanization and the Imperial Period
After a period of alliance (foedus) with Rome, Volterra suffered a devastating siege by Sulla (82–80 BC) as retaliation for its support of the faction associated with Marius. The resulting sanctions were extremely severe: loss of citizenship and confiscation of lands.
The Augustan Revival
Thanks to the noble Caecinae family, by then integrated into the Roman elite, the city was provided with a monumental Roman theatre at Vallebuona (late 1st century BC).
Abandonment
The sanctuary on the Acropolis and the theatre were gradually abandoned from the middle of the 3rd century AD onwards.
From the Middle Ages to the Modern Rediscovery
The Destruction of 1472
In the 13th century, the Acropolis housed a dense urban district including the Bishop’s Palace, but the entire area was razed to the ground by the Florentine troops of Federico da Montefeltro in 1472 (FIG. 29–31). The Medici Fortress was later built over the ruins and is currently used as a prison.
Archaeological Research
After the scholarly collecting activities of the 18th century (Monsignor Guarnacci), systematic investigations resumed in the 20th century with Doro Levi (1926), Mauro Cristofani (1969–71), and, since 1987, with the excavation campaigns conducted by the University of Pisa under the direction of Marisa Bonamici.
