L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 32 L'Italo-Americano tecture, such as the mau- soleum known as Torrac- cia, highlight the continued importance of Norchia as a nexus of transportation and communication. In the ensuing centuries, the Roman Empire's decline led to changes in Norchia's significance. The site, howev- er, gained new life during the medieval period, particularly under Lombard rule, when it found itself positioned on t h e e d g e o f t h e D u c h y o f R o m e . T h i s m e a n t t h a t Norchia needed fortifications, which gave rise to the con- struction of the Castello di Vico in the 12th and 13th centuries. This castle, along- s i d e t h e P i e v e d i S a n P i e t r o a n d G i o v a n n i , e m b o d i e s t h e t o w n ' s medieval architectural evolu- t i o n f r o m R o m a n antecedents, with suggestions of an even older, 9th-century church structure in the same location. But Norchia wasn't to be for much longer. In the 15th c e n t u r y , a s h a p p e n e d t o many other ancient sites, it w a s a b a n d o n e d . I t s e n d s h o u l d b e a t t r i b u t e d t o a complex interplay of factors rather than a single, identifi- a b l e c a u s e , s t a r t i n g w i t h changing political dynamics, which could have led to shifts with pediments and sculptur- al processions, and demon- strate the Etruscans' skill in adapting classical architec- tural forms for funerary con- texts. Similarly, the Lattanzi tomb, set on a podium with columns of two orders, exem- plifies the necropolis's archi- tectural diversity and the Etr- uscans' innovative use of space and symbolism in com- memorating the Dead. B u t N o r c h i a w a s n ' t , o f course, important only as a "city of the Dead," it was a strategic hub along the Via Clodia, connecting Rome to Tuscania and Blera. Interest- i n g l y , t h e V i a C l o d i a i s marked by a 400-meter-long cut through the tufa rock, which facilitated the passage of the road across rugged ter- rain. A f t e r t h e E t r u s c a n s , Norchia witnessed significant t r a n s f o r m a t i o n s u n d e r Roman rule and through- out the medieval period, each leaving indelible marks on its historical and cultural landscape. The Roman reoc- c u p a t i o n i n t r o d u c e d n e w a r c h i t e c t u r a l a n d u r b a n developments, leveraging Norchia's strategic location along the Via Clodia. Evi- dence of Roman engineering, such as bridge pillars across the Biedano River, and archi- in the administrative and economic structures support- i n g t h e t o w n . E c o n o m i c changes, possibly related to the broader socio-economic transformations occurring in Italy and Europe at the time, could have made the site less viable for its inhabitants, while environmental factors, such as changes in the local climate, water availability, or agricultural productivity, could also have played a role in making the area less hos- pitable or suitable for contin- ued settlement. Lastly, we shouldn't discount the role of diseases and military con- flicts, which could have con- tributed to the site's decline: in the end, the 15th century was a period of significant upheaval in many parts of E u r o p e , w i t h e m e r g i n g n a t i o n - s t a t e s , s h i f t i n g alliances, and the impacts of the Black Death still affecting population levels and social structures. Norchia, however, is not the only place in Lazio where the remnants of ancient civi- lizations tell us a story of past greatness. Not far, the sites of Vulci, Viterbo, and Tar- quinia further enrich the r e g i o n ' s h i s t o r y . L i k e Norchia, Vulci was a signifi- cant Etruscan city, known for its vast necropolis and monu- mental tombs. Tarquinia, another key Etruscan town, h o u s e s o n e o f t h e m o s t important necropolises in Italy, with elaborately fres- c o e d t o m b s t h a t p r o v i d e invaluable insight into the Etruscan worldview, particu- larly their beliefs surrounding t h e a f t e r l i f e . V i t e r b o , although more prominent during the medieval period, still retains elements of its Etruscan and Roman past, too, sitting as it does along the Via Cassia. The town, with its papal connections, holds a very important place in the history of the region. Together, these sites form a network of archaeological and historical landmarks tells a b o u t t h e c o n t i n u i t y o f human settlement and adap- tation throughout the cen- turies in this unique part of Italy, which is known primar- ily for Rome, but that has so much more to offer. Etruscan funerary practices; the dromos, a common fea- ture in Etruscan necropolis- es, represents the transition from the world of the living to the realm of the Dead, a journey accentuated by the careful construction and ori- entation of these passage- ways. The necropolis, however, c o m p r i s e s v a r i o u s t o m b types, reflecting a range of architectural styles and bur- ial customs. Notable among t h e s e a r e t h e P r o s t i l a tomb, remarkable for its two unique columns; the tomb of the three heads, which features divinities engraved on the architrave; and the Smurinas tombs, associat- ed with an important family and characterized by a grand portal frame in an L shape. When looking at them, it's inevitable to think about how they, while serving as final resting places, also show to perfection the Etruscans' mastery of stone carving and t h e i r a b i l i t y t o i n t e g r a t e architectural structures with- in the natural environment. F u r t h e r e n r i c h i n g t h e l a n d s c a p e o f N o r c h i a ' s necropolis are the temple and Doric tombs found in the valley of Acqualta's moat. These burials mimic a Doric temple's façade, complete E n i g m a t i c N o r c h i a i s a n a r c h a e o l o g i c a l site nestled with- i n I t a l y ' s l e a f y landscapes near Vetralla, in Lazio. This historical treasure t r o v e i s h i d d e n a w a y b y Monte Romano's military polygon and captures the spirit of ancient civilizations through a remarkable Etr- uscan necropolis and the remnants of Roman architec- ture. But Norchia also offers a g l i m p s e i n t o m e d i e v a l times, thanks to the vestiges of a castle and a church, in w h a t w e c a n e a s i l y c a l l a "ghost village." From the Upper Paleolith- ic era through the Bronze Age, and into its zenith in the Etruscan period from the 6th t o t h e 2 n d c e n t u r y B C , N o r c h i a f l o u r i s h e d o n a plateau where the Pile and Acqualta streams converge into the Biedano River. The site is known for its Etruscan rock-hewn tombs, a mar- vel of ancient engineering and craftsmanship showing the deep cultural significance of death and the afterlife in Etruscan society. Historians and archaeologists tell us that Norchia, probably known back then as Orclae, thrived from the 6th to the 2nd cen- tury BC and that the way its necropolis was built repre- sents the pinnacle of Etr- uscan architectural ingenuity. T h e t o m b s a r e m o n u - mental in scale and square in shape, and accessible via dual staircases that descend along- side each building, blending seamlessly into the natural landscape. Visitors are greet- ed by porticos at the entrance of each tomb, some adorned with columns, others with tuff pillars supporting small roofs. This specific architec- tural element served a func- tional purpose, but it was also a d d e d t o g i v e a s e n s e o f solemn grandeur to these burials, a reflection of the Etruscans' respect for their deceased. Inside, the burial cham- bers, reached through a dro- mos—a stairway corridor— r e v e a l t h e c o m p l e x i t y o f The Vulci archaeological park (Photo: Massimo Scacco/Dreamstime) Norchia, where history and the past are carved in stone GIULIA FRANCESCHINI LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE TRADITIONS

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