Vulci was a prosperous Etruscan city in the current region of Lazio, 80 km northwest of Rome. The Etruscans settled in what is now Tuscany and Lazio from around 700 BCE, until they became absorbed into Roman civilisation, and disappeared as a recognisable entity. However, their legacy lives on in several ways; Toscana derives its name from the Roman word for Etruscans, etrusci or tusci.
Etruscan settlements are found in the present-day cities of Tarquinia, Cerveteri, Orvieto og Pisa, , while Vulci did not survive as a city. Vulci was situated in the area currently called the Parco Naturalistico Archeologico di Vulci, where there is a small museum, and the excavations may be visited. The Etruscans had a commercial and agricultural civilization and left a rich cultural heritage, including wall frescoes and impressive tombs. Many features of their culture were adopted by the Romans.
The University of Gothenburg collaborates with the Vulci Parc since 2017. They undertook geophysical surveys from 2019 and started excavations in 2022. The current excavations focus on an area inhabited in the pre-roman period. Irene Selsvold is part of the excavations through her current position at the University of Gothenburg, and says she finds it exciting and hope to continue the collaboration in the coming years.
The Etruscans are particularly known for the necropolises in Cerveteri and Tarquinia that are listed as world cultural heritage by UNESCO. The most comprehensive museum is in Villa Giulia in Rome, but many important collections have also remained and may be visited near the former Etruscan settlements.
Useful links for more information:
- The Vulci park
- Gøteborg University: Understanding Urban Identities (UUI) from the Bronze Age to the Roman time. The case of Vulci in the context of southern Etruria | Göteborgs universitet
- Irene Selsvold - postdoctoral fellow in Rome from August 2024 - The Norwegian Institute in Rome (uio.no)
- ETRU National Etruscan Museum (museoetru.it)
- Arkeological museum and park for Cerveteri og Tarquinia: Il Parco Archeologico di Cerveteri e Tarquinia (cultura.gov.it)
- Tarquinia og Cerveteri– information in English National Archaeological Museum of Tarquinia - Tarquinia Turismo