Understanding Urban Identities (UUI) from the Bronze Age to the Roman time. The case of Vulci in the context of southern Etruria
Short description
The main aim of the UUI research program is to contribute to the wide scholarship about the rise and development of urbanization in ancient southern Etruria with new material from the excavation at Vulci.
The project has a fundamentally interdisciplinary character and seeks to shed light on the dynamic relation between continuity, development, and transformation of the urban settings at Vulci over time.
Since the beginning major attention has been given to the fieldwork activity; a second major concern has been to actively involve Swedish students and provide an opportunity for education in archaeology.
The Vulci fieldwork
The UUI research program aiming at understanding the early history of the Etruscan settlement of Vulci was initiated at the Department of Historical Studies of the University of Gothenburg in close collaboration with the Fondazione Vulci, the Vulci Archaeological Park and the Italian Heritage Board (see research partners).
Archaeological excavations
The first step has been to carry out geophysical surveys (conducted with the expert technical and scientific support of Stephen Kay and Elena Pomar from the British School at Rome). The results of the geophysical prospections have significantly expanded our understanding of the site and assisted in the selection of the area for our archaeological excavations.
Since then, four successful excavation campaigns have taken place between 2022 and 2025.
About the area
The UUI excavation project investigates an area situated on the north-eastern edge of the urban plateau and enclosed by the Etruscan city wall. The site is strategically located between the so-called acropolis, immediately to the north-east, and the eastern sector of the Roman decumanus descending towards the East-Gate and the nearby River Fiora.The area offers a privileged view of the river valley below including the bridge (Ponte Rotto) which once allowed communication with the territory to the east of the town, and the monumental Etruscan necropolis flanking the river valley.
Preliminary analyses of the finds suggests that the excavation has uncovered a previously unknown cultic area. The excavated compound is characterized by three stone-built round features associated with a quadrangular building with stone wall foundation and a structure cut out of the local bedrock. Evidence of sacrificial activity strongly suggests the site might have had a cultic function and was in use between approximately the 7th and the 3rd century BCE. While sherds in secondary position suggest that the area might have been in use also in earlier periods, evidence of activity after the Roman conquest of the town are scanty.
Students and donations
The excavations campaigns have been possible thanks to the collaboration and assistance of many (see acknowledgements), and in particular thanks to the generous support of the Enbom Donationsfond and to the invaluable contribution of the students that participated in the excavation with enthusiasm and professional dedication!
Follow us on Instagram: @uui_gu_vulci
About Vulci
Vulci (Etruscan Velc/Velc[a]l-, Latin Vulci, Ancient Greek Ólkion) was a large city of ancient Etruria in Italy. The present archaeological site lies by the river Fiora and is close to Montalto di Castro in the Province of Viterbo. Vulci is a unique, stratified urban site that includes Bronze Age, Iron Age, Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval archaeological evidence and is relatively free of modern structures. The Etruscan city occupied an area of over 100 hectares and probably had a large population, as witnessed by the thousands of monumental Etruscan tombs surrounding the site.
Vulci was one of the most prominent and wealthy Etruscan cities from the late seventh through to the early fifth century BCE, deriving its wealth from the production and exchange of valuable goods all over the Mediterranean. Its geopolitical influence declined towards the end of the fourth century BCE, due in part to Roman expansion.
The Roman consul Tiberius Coruncanius defeated and triumphed over the inhabitants of Vulci in 280 BCE. The town became a Roman municipium in c. 90 BCE. Archaeological evidence indicates Vulci was inhabited until at least the fourth century CE.
Publications
Sabatini, S., Göransson, K., Pomar, E., Kay, S. 2023. ‘Vulci e il progetto Understanding Urban Identities”, in Vulci. Work in progress, atti del I incontro internazionale (Quaderni Vulcenti 1), eds. S. Carosi, C. Casi, C. Regoli, Acquapendente, 125–135.
Kay, S., Sabatini, S., Pomar, E., Göransson, K. 2021, Revisiting Vulci: New Data from a Geophysical Investigation in the Urban Area. ArcheoSciences 45(1), 83-76.
Sabatini, S., Göransson, K., Gustavsson, A., Kay, S., Pomar, E., Selsvold, I., Webb, L. 2021, History and archaeology at Vulci: old evidence and new data from a geophysical investigation in the urban area. Bollettino di Archeologia Online 3/2021- Anno XII, 5-33.
Sabatini, S., Kay, S., Pomar, E., Göransson, K. 2021 Geophysical Survey Vulci (Comune di Montalto di Castro, Provincia di Viterbo, Regione Lazio). Paper of the British School at Rome 89, 353-357.
Project team
Serena Sabatini (PI/Scientific Director), Irene Selsvold, Jelena Bulatović, Kristian Göransson, Anna Gustavsson, Elena Peri, Natalia Riabogina, Lewis Webb.
Acknowledgements
Beside our much-appreciated Research partners (see top of the page) and wonderful students, we are grateful to:
- Stiftelsen Gösta och Susi Enboms donationsfond
- Stiftelsen Lars Hjertas Minne
- Helge Ax:son Johnsons Stiftelse
- Wilhelm & Martina Lundgrens Vetenskapsfond
- Magnus Bergvalls Stiftelse
- Fondazione Famiglia Rausing
- Stiftelsen Harald och Tonny Hagendahls minnesfond
- COREX: From Correlations to Explanations: Towards a New European Prehistory, funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant Agreement No. 95138
- Before the Romans. Addressing the interplay between genetic and cultural variation in Pre-Roman Italy, funded by Riksbankens Jubileumsfond under project grant P22-0641
- British School at Rome
- Department of Historical Studies, University of Gothenburg
- The staff of the Archaeological and Naturalistic Park at Vulci
The project matured as an independent research program after an earlier collaboration with Duke University and Prof. Maurizio Forte, currently investigating the area of Vulci’s West Forum.
