Veronica Gallo

La memoria dei luoghi: l’abitato di Sorgenti della Nova (Farnese, VT) in epoca etrusca. Il caso studio del settore XII

Introduction

La memoria dei luoghi: l’abitato di sorgenti della nova (farnese, vt) in epoca etrusca. Il caso studio del settore xii. Scopri la memoria dei luoghi di Sorgenti della Nova (Farnese, VT) in epoca etrusca. Analisi dei materiali del settore XII che attestano frequentazioni occasionali.

Abstract

L’abitato di Sorgenti della Nova si inquadra cronologicamente alla fine dell’età del bronzo: la sua frequentazione si concentra infatti all’interno del Bronzo Finale 3, fino alle soglie dell’età del ferro. Alla fine del X secolo a.C. l’abitato viene abbandonato in favore di Vulci e sarà rioccupato in maniera stabile soltanto in epoca medievale. Tuttavia, il sito resta in qualche modo nella memoria degli abitanti del territorio: vi sono infatti indizi di una frequentazione occasionale in epoca etrusca. Tra le prove più consistenti vi sono i materiali restituiti dal settore XII, databili tra il VII e il VI secolo a.C., presentati in questa sede. The settlement of Sorgenti della Nova dates back to the end of the Bronze Age. Its use is focused in the last phase of Late Bronze Age (BF 3), reaching the threshold of the Iron Age. At the end of the 10th century BC, the settlement was abandoned in favor of Vulci, and remained uninhabited until the medieval period. Nevertheless, the site remained in the collective memory of the local inhabitants. There is evidence of occasional use during the Etruscan period. Among the most substantial evidence of this phenomenon are the materials recovered from Sector XII, dated between the 7th and 6th centuries BC, presented in this paper.

Review

The article, "La memoria dei luoghi: l’abitato di Sorgenti della Nova (Farnese, VT) in epoca etrusca. Il caso studio del settore XII," presents a compelling investigation into the enduring cultural significance of an archaeological site. While Sorgenti della Nova was a prominent Late Bronze Age settlement, abandoned around the 10th century BC and not reoccupied until the medieval period, the authors compellingly argue for a continued, albeit occasional, Etruscan presence. This concept of a 'memory of place' is central to the paper, suggesting that even deserted landscapes can retain a potent draw or symbolic value for subsequent populations, challenging simplistic notions of site abandonment. The strength of this study lies in its focused approach, specifically on the evidence recovered from Sector XII. The abstract highlights "materials datable between the 7th and 6th century BC" as key indicators of this Etruscan occasional use. This precise chronological dating of diagnostic materials is crucial for substantiating the claim of post-abandonment interaction with the site. By concentrating on a defined sector, the authors are able to present robust empirical data to support the intriguing hypothesis that Sorgenti della Nova, despite its physical abandonment, remained a place of symbolic or functional importance for the Etruscans, thereby enriching our understanding of landscape perception and cultural continuity. This research offers valuable insights into the complex relationship between ancient communities and their historical landscapes. The findings from Sector XII at Sorgenti della Nova provide a strong foundation for understanding how cultural memory can influence human engagement with abandoned spaces. Future discussions building on this work could further explore the specific nature of this "occasional use"—whether it was ritualistic, commemorative, related to resource extraction, or some combination thereof—and offer comparative analyses with other sites exhibiting similar patterns of selective re-engagement after abandonment. Ultimately, this paper contributes significantly to the broader fields of Etruscan archaeology and the archaeology of memory.

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