Terracotta head

Volto fittile - Museo Archeologico di Marciana

The terracotta head from Monte Castello is one of the oldest finds from this archaeological site and dates back to the classical Etruscan period (5th century BC). Its discovery, together with other fragments that may belong to other anatomical parts and very fragile wall structures may indicate that this area, located in the territory of Procchio, was originally a religious site. It is unclear whether we can speak of a real mountain sanctuary, but certainly the practice of depositing anatomical votives was well known to the Etruscans, as was the use of terracotta furnishings to give solemnity to religious spaces. There are no doubts over the subsequent use of Monte Castello, which saw the building of a fortress (oppidum) to protect a territory which was increasingly at the centre of expansionist aims, firstly by the Syracusans and later by the Romans.