Archaeological
Service
Directed by Dr. M. C. Guidotti
H O M E
| The Tuscan Archaeological Service | The Florentine Territorial Area Directed by Dr. M. C. Guidotti | H O M E |
Our knowledge about the archeological patrimony in the Florentine Territorial
Area has been considerably increased since the discovery of the tomb of the
Montagnola, at Quinto Fiorentino, and by research carried out in this century,
from the mid Sixties onwards. Several Etruscan towns that flourished in the
Oriental period (7th-6th century B.C.), have been located and partly explored, as
well as numerous monumental chamber tombs situated inside grandiose barrows that
once belonged to noble families, presumably the owners of large landed estates.
The settlements built on the circle of hills surrounding Florence to the north
not only include Fiesole, which is well known, but also Quinto Fiorentino, Sesto
Fiorentino, as well as Comeana (the tomb of Montefortini) and Artimino, situated
on the hills overlooking the great curve in the river Arno between Lastra a Signa
and Montelupo. Other sporadic findings along the ridge of hills to the right of
the Arno (Palastreto for example), confirm the Etruscans' control of all the
various departure points of the roads leaving the Arno Valley to cross the
Appennines in the direction of the Po Valley.
