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Excavation

  • Acropoli – Piano del Castello
  • Volterra
  • Volaterrae
  • Italy
  • Tuscany
  • Pisa
  • Volterra

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Credits

  • The Italian Database is the result of a collaboration between:

    MIBAC (Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali - Direzione Generale per i Beni Archeologici),

    ICCD (Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione) and

    AIAC (Associazione Internazionale di Archeologia Classica).

  • AIAC_logo logo

Summary (English)

  • This excavation campaign concentrated on the zone adjacent to the back wall of the tempietto of Demeter, uncovered during the 2007 campaign.

    An unusual cult feature emerged in this area. It comprised a small shallow sloping channel (a sort of chute) which emerged in a slightly lowered circular area (diameter circa one metre) surfaced with large dolia fragments so as to constitute a sort of filter. This was probably a ritual press used for vegetal products (grapes and similar). The mechanism foresaw that the vegetal products were crushed inside the small channel and the liquid produced by the compression of these products flowed towards the filter where the solid waste (peel, pips etc) was deposited. It goes without saying that the liquid produced by the press was destined to reach the Chthonic divinities dwelling below ground.

    In the area inside enclosure IV excavations uncovered an intact stratigraphic sequence which produced important data for the reconstruction of the later phases of the cult site which to date were little known.

    Below a series of medieval dumps a midden emerged relating to the abandonment of the enclosure itself and datable to the 2nd century A.D. The fill of the midden contained numerous votive and cult objects both of Hellenistic and Roman date. Of particular interest were several lamps of the type decorated with raised points and the Firmalampen type. These objects are of particular importance for the interpretation of the site as they attest that nocturnal processions in honour of Demeter took place and therefore the long lasting continuation of Hellenistic cults.

    Below the layer described above a level of hearths emerged datable to the post-Sullan period and overlying a layer of rubble from a building which collapsed during the known military clashes of 82 B.C. The building may be identified with the nearby temple of Demeter. The earliest occupation level of enclosure IV was identified below the level of rubble of Sullan date, presenting a number of in situ votive features.

Director

  • Marisa Bonamici - Dipartimento di Civiltà e Forme del Sapere, Università di Pisa

Team

  • Fabrizio Burchianti - Università degli Studi di Pisa, Scuola di specializzazione in Archeologia
  • Francesca Grassini
  • Lisa Rosselli - Dipartimento di Civiltà e Forme del Sapere, Università di Pisa
  • Emanuele Taccola - Dipartimento di Civiltà e Forme del Sapere, Università di Pisa

Research Body

  • Università degli Studi di Pisa

Funding Body

  • Comune di Volterra
  • Fondazione della Cassa di Risparmio di Volterra

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