Best Western
Hotel Viterbo

Acquarossa

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In 1966, the Swedish Institute of Classic Studies conducted archaeological excavations on the hills of San Francesco, 5 kilometers from Viterbo, that brought to light an Etruscan habitation that appeared to have been lived in from the 8th century B.C. going through a great amount of development over the course of the 7th and 6th centuries B.C. coming to an end around the year 500 B.C.
This land is protected by steep cliffs leading to an end where the trenches of Acquarossa, Fornicchio and Franalancia, run.
The habitation, identified to date back to the period between 650 and 550 B.C., is constituted by two or three parallel spaces preceded occasionally by a portico or a vestibule in an elongated form. The different environments appear to have differentiated uses; hearths with fireplaces are found in the larger ones while in others it is possible to recognize warehousing, like silos for grain dug out of tufa.
The technical creation of the elevations are of various types that, after the rocky bank was regularized, were put on foundations formed of two or more rows of blocks.
The urbanistic texture presents a rather irregular installation where a vast residential complex, dating back to the middle of the 6th century B.C. is clearly identifiable.
The complex is articulated in four bodies of buildings on a porticoed courtyard with a planimetric design whose organization is tied to a double function; private and public.
Is was all embellished with architectonic slabs decorated with banquet scenes, dance, mythological characters and themes tied to heroics.
Necropolises were found around the habitat; to the west we find that of 'Tre Maria', dating back to before the iron age; to the east we find that of San Cataldo, dating back to the archaic age; while the most substantial core is constituted by burial grounds in Campo Pozzi, with trench and chamber tombs.