Excavations at Poggio Colla

Etruscan Gold Diadem

Poggio Colla is an Etruscan archaeological site located near the town of Vicchio in Tuscany, Italy. Poggio Colla was inhabited by the early 7th century BCE. The settlement was "violently" destroyed in the late 3rd century BCE and rebuilt in the Hellenistic period



The first excavations of Poggio Colla were directed by Francesco Nicosia from 1968 to 1972. Excavations at the site have revealed fortifications, a possible temple, and a necropolis.

Etruscan Pendants

Archaeological evidence suggests that Poggio Colla was occupied from as early as 650 B.C.E. until at least 187 B.C.E. The site centers on the acropolis, a roughly rectangular plateau of one and a half acres at the summit of Poggio Colla. Excavations have found strong evidence that the acropolis was a sanctuary and have identified a building and an altar associated with the structure. The building’s form evolved from a modest hut-like structure in the seventh century B.C.E. to a monumental complex with stone foundations and tile roofs by the time of its destruction in the second century B.C.E. [...]

Sheet-gold earrings from the gold cache, dating from the fourth-third centuries B.C.

A highlight of the items found is the stunning deposit of gold jewelry, one of the few examples of Etruscan gold found outside of a tomb. Beyond the rarity and pristine condition of these pieces lies the fact that this jewelry was most likely a votive gift from a woman who visited the sanctuary.  

A gold cache in situ.

A gold ring found under an upside-down architectural block capping an
underground chamber (as yet unexcavated), which may be part of a
ritual dedication.