Castellina del Marangone - Civitavecchia and Santa Marinella

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Submitted by traduttore4 on Thu, 04/11/2010 - 15:46

On the border between Civitavecchia and Santa Marinella, on the left of the Marangone stream, at 130 metres above sea level and only about a kilometre from the coast stands a small hill of sedimentary rock, on the summit of which, surrounded by a particularly enchanting century old olive grove, are preserved the remains of an Etruscan settlement, surrounded by squared blocks of local stone, which were first found during the first decades of last century.

The research led to the discovery of a stretch of street and the foundations of some of the buildings that lined it. The extension and wealth of the nearby necropolis underline the importance in Etruscan days of this particular enclave which, being close to the sea, was in a most favourable position to handle all commercial sea traffic and to guarantee communications between the coast and the Tolfa Mountains.

The excavations have also brought to light a large cistern and traces of proto-historic habitation, dating back to the end of the Bronze age and which would seem to indicate that the first stable occupation of the site began around the middle of the 7th C. BC.

The settlement, which covers an area of approx. three hectares, was probably abandoned with the Romanisation of the area and the building of the nearby colony of Castrum Novum. The materials found during the excavations performed in the Fifties and Sixties of last century are preserved in the National Museum of Civitavecchia.

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