Tag Archives: Etruscans

ITALY #18: SOVANA & PITIGLIANO

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After learning about the Etruscans the previous day, I was curious to see where the artifacts had been discovered.  A guided walk around the Etruscan necropolis of Sovana added another piece to the mysterious puzzle of Etruscan society.  A hike through a wooded area and along a sunken road carved into volcanic rock took us to an ancient burial site at Citta del Tufo.

This area has been populated by man since the Stone Age, and it was fascinating to see the 3,000-year-old Etruscan tombs in the park.

(For all pictures, click on the image to see full screen view.)

The town of Sovana
This sunken road was cut into volcanic rock.

Pitigliano, our next stop, was originally settled by the Etruscans and was once home to a thriving Jewish population that had settled there in the early part of the 16th century.  Although they were in Italy long before the Christians, they were persecuted in the 1500’s because of their beliefs, and forced to move from their homes into a designated area.  They weren’t free until the unification of Italy in 1861; however, over the years that followed, many left the area for larger cities, mainly for economic reasons.  By World War II, there were only about 60 Jews left in Pitigliano.  When the Nazis came, those who remained hid with five families in their homes.  They were then moved to caves for safety, and the community worked together to bring them supplies and food.  All of them survived; however, the 22 Jews who left town before the Nazis arrived were captured and killed.

After the war, only 30 Jews returned, and the families who protected and hid the Jews were given medals.  Today, there are only three Jews left, including a lady in her 90’s who has worked diligently to preserve the Jewish history of the town of 4,000 people.

During our walking tour, we visited the Jewish synagogue and caves where the Jews had been hidden.  It now serves as a museum.

This is my view of Pitigliano:

The symbol of Pitigliano
Entering the Jewish Ghetto
Another entrance to the Jewish Ghetto
Caves where the Jews were hidden from the Nazis
Our group
A Jewish wedding in Pitigliano. The young girl to the left of the wine bottle is the oldest remaining Jew in Pitigliano, now in her 90’s.
This photo in the museum shows a woman making matzo for Passover.
Matzo
A look down from the museum to the Jewish cemetery below.
Our luck finally ran out when we had our first rain of the trip during the day. It was the only time we needed our umbrellas– and, only for a short time.
The store owner wraps up our only souvenir (besides chocolate!) of the trip: an olive oil dispenser that looks like a small flower watering can.
A scene of the Tuscan countryside captured from the bus window.
Another scene captured from the bus window on our way back to Pienza.
Our group went out for a pizza dinner, and we laughed at the way this pizza was made. All of the toppings were separated, and the olives were whole!

Next up: Poking Around Perugia

Note: If small group travel is of interest to you, I highly recommend Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). Although Bruce and I travel together, they do not charge a single supplement for those who travel on their own. Singles also get their own room at hotels. If you book, you can get $100 off your trip by providing my name and customer number (Elaine Krugman, #3018126) as the person who referred you. I will also get $100 off future travel– a win-win!

ITALY #17: MEDIEVAL MONTEPULCIANO

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On our way to Montepulciano, we stopped to visit the Museo Civico Archeologico Di Sarteano, an Etruscan museum.  The Etruscans were ancient people dating back 3,000 years and lived between Florence and Rome.  Women were equal to men in their society, something I could get behind!  It was also a hedonistic society; they enjoyed life to the fullest!

(For all pictures, click on the image to see full screen view.)

The museum, housed in a former 1700’s wine cellar, had a fantastic collection of ceramics, jewelry, weapons, and other artifacts collected by archaeologists.  In most cases, the ceramic bowls and vases had been found in pieces, and then meticulously pieced back together with clay by a team of ten volunteers, over a 25-year period.  If two broken pots were found together, the tiny pieces had to be matched by color and texture, and then put back together like a jigsaw puzzle. 

Following our tour of the museum, we watched these artists in action, piecing together the latest treasures acquired in archaeological digs.  First, however, we got to play with some clay and design our own “treasures” (which we all left behind…).  Not wanting to keep unfired clay (which was sure to end up a mess), I took photos instead.  Coincidentally, when the staff passed out clay stamps to create our works of “art,” the woman handed me one of a dolphin.  How did she know???  It was a perfect match for this dolphin-loving swimmer!

Bruce added his name at the bottom using the alphabet guide,.

Observing the pottery being pieced back together and touring the museum was fascinating, because these artifacts are all the experts have to go on to understand the Entruscan people.  There is no literature, so the history of their civilization is shrouded in mystery.  The only clues are the weapons, cooking implements, building tools, and other treasures they left behind.

The immaculately preserved medieval town of Montepulciano was our next stop, where we walked the historic street of Via San Gallo and visited Cantina Fattoria della Talosa, a beautiful winery.  Located in the old town, the wine is aged in an underground cellar between two of the oldest buildings of Montepulciano, dating back to the 16th century.  Sixty steps down, we arrived at the cellar 90 feet below the street where we enjoyed tasting five different wines paired with foods of the region.

As with each day on an Overseas Adventure Travels tour, there was time to explore on our own; so, I poked around the streets to take a few photographs.

On our way back down the hill to Pienza, we stopped to see San Biagio, overlooking the Tuscan countryside below.  Built in the early 1500’s the domed church was designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder, an Italian architect.

We bid Arrivederci to our wonderful driver, Cesare, and took on another driver the following day. Cesare and our tour leader, Ben, were a fabulous team!

Coming up next:  SOVANA & PITIGLIANO

Note: If small group travel is of interest to you, I highly recommend Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). Although Bruce and I travel together, they do not charge a single supplement for those who travel on their own. Singles also get their own room at hotels. If you book, you can get $100 off your trip by providing my name and customer number (Elaine Krugman, #3018126) as the person who referred you. I will also get $100 off future travel– a win-win!