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AMMINISTRAZIONE PROVINCIALE DI VITERBO
Assessorato alla Cultura, Sport e Turismo
GLI ETRUSCHI NELLA TUSCIA

regnunib.jpg (1083 byte)GROTTA PORCINA (Vetralla)

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Submerged in greenery and the tranquillity of an untouched countryside, between Blera and Borchia, this town preserves a collection of Etruscan monuments of particular value and interest. It was built on a modest agricultural settlement the place of which is unknown.
The headland was elongated by a steep tufaceous hill and in its final part a mound was modelled (Casteltuzzo) with a diameter of 28 m and a tambour measuring 3.50 m high and that the remains of the perimetrical decoration is still evident (VI cent. B.C.). Inside there is a tomb that is formed into three areas in an axis, with sculptured ceilings that have unfortunenately been altered over the centuries. By the side of the grave there is another tomb divided into two rooms these too have sculptured ceilings. There are others too that are situated on the apposite hill. Going down towards the valley are the remains of a great cylindrical altar with floral and animal decorations highlighted at the bottom, surrounded by a flight of steps built from the tuff (VI cent. B.C.) known as the oldest "cultural theatre" of the Tuscia. In the surrounding area we can see the base of an altar dating from the Hellenistic period that was later transformed into PESTAROLA. Not far from this at the foot of a rise, surrounded by other chamber tombs, are the remains of a small temple with areas of which are built in the tufaceous rock (VI cent. B.C.) with tèmenos and votive wells, in use up until the third century B.C. 

 

Testo: P. GIANNINI (Ass.ne Guide Turistiche prov. di  Viterbo)


 

Progetto Web: G. CERICA (ccbc/Amm.ne Prov.le) - Realizzazione S.EL.VIT