Podcast by eArs 

Necropolis of the San Lorenzo valley

Narrator: The necropolis of the San Lorenzo Valley emerges from the past surrounded by an enchanting landscape, right in the centre of Umbria's three most important ancient cities, namely Orvieto, Todi and Amelia. Archaeologist Stefano Spiganti, who is in charge of the excavations, will join us on this visit.

Stefano Spiganti: The site was built from the 7th century B.C.E. onwards in a particularly permeable area, where the trade between two peoples of pre-Roman Italy - Etruscans and Umbrians - was favoured by the passage of the Tiber river, as well as by an important road artery that connected the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic coasts. In such a vital spot, this necropolis, namely a burial site, could not have been the only sign of human presence! Next to the city of the dead, there must have been the city... of the living; but where was it? We are still looking for it. From our assumptions, it must have been a thriving village, inhabited by a thousand people.

N: The Etruscans skilfully adapted the necropolis to the rugged terrain along the side of a ditch. A true masterpiece of adaptation to the environment. 

SS: That's right. Almost a thousand tombs were excavated with technical skill in the compact sand that forms the northern wall of the deep San Lorenzo ditch. They are laid out in parallel rows to the course of the river, and in turn are arranged along interconnected terraces. The tombs consisted of a single chamber or two rooms, so as to collect the remains of entire families. We have unearthed a great number of grave goods from the darkness of past millennia, consisting of pottery and other objects of everyday life, which are indicative of a dynamic and fairly egalitarian society. The remains of three generations of citizens were laid to rest in the Valley over a period of 200 years, up to around 350 B.C.E. After this date, a gradual decline began, ending with the complete abandonment of the site.

N: Which was the cause?

SS: It was caused by the gradual expansion of the Romans into these territories, which ended with the conquest of Orvieto in 264 B.C.E. Not only that, the Roman conquerors plundered the tombs and took away the most precious objects.

N: Let's get back to the necropolis. One discovery in particular surprised archaeologists.

SS: In 2019, we found a tomb that was different from the others... it wasn't excavated, but built with large blocks of travertine. It contained a great number of grave goods, among which a sceptre stood out. It was the eternal resting place of an Etruscan prince-priest! His high-class status was confirmed by the presence of the bones of some large animals that were offered as a sacrifice - such as sheep, cattle and pigs - which usually were sacrificed only for major public festivals.

N: These ancient rituals have been reconstructed with virtual reality, which is available to the visitors of the necropolis. But that's not all. Who wouldn't want to experience the thrill of such a discovery? Tiber Pallia Immersive Discoveries will certainly be of great help! Imagine going back in time until you see the tomb of the prince-priest materialise completely intact before your eyes! It will be like reliving with your own eyes the stories that this extraordinary place is still able to tell.

N: You have listened to Tiber Pallia Stories, a podcast created by Italy’s National Strategy for Inner Areas - South West Orvieto Area. The podcast was produced by Capitale Cultura Group and Artglass.
Texts, voice-over, music, and post-production were designed and produced by eArs.
We would like to thank the Umbria Region, the Municipality of Montecchio, the university: Università degli Studi di Perugia,  and archaeologist Stefano Spiganti,...