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All Italy Soriano nel Cimino Etruscan Pyramid of Bomarzo

Etruscan Pyramid of Bomarzo

This ancient altar emerges from the thick forests to reveal the mysteries of Etruscan sacrificial rituals.

Soriano nel Cimino, Italy

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Jan Claus Di Blasio
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The altar seen from the front.   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
Detail of the carvings.   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
The altar seen from the side.   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
Steps leading up to the altar.   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
Steps leading down from the altar.   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
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In 2008, a local resident named Salvatore Fosci rediscovered a monumental Etruscan pyramid-shaped altar, just a short distance from the famous Parco dei Mostri (Park of Monsters) in Bomarzo.

The enormous peperino rock was hidden by vegetation on the slopes of a deep canyon and was only discovered for the first time in the 1990s, by two local archaeologists.

The pyramid is believed to be an altar dating back to the 7th or 6th centuries BC, used by the Etruscan haruspices, soothsayers who practiced divination by inspecting the entrails of sacrificed animals. This art of divination was a key element of the Etrusca Disciplina (Etruscan religious scriptures), which had a significant influence on Roman culture.

The altar is positioned toward the northwest, facing the direction of the Etruscan underworld gods (Di inferi). In the heyday of the Etruscan civilization, it must have represented a very important sacred site, though very little is known about it.

Steps and gutters (possibly to facilitate the flow of blood of sacrificed animals) were carved in the altar, which is also known by the name of Sasso del Predicatore (The Preacher's Stone). The steps are steep and holes carved along either side of the steps and on the intermediate levels may have once supported wooden posts and supports.

The area surrounding the pyramid is a treasure trove of Etruscan inscriptions, tombs, medieval ruins, and a mysterious tower associated with the Italian writer and director Pier Paolo Pasolini. Hiking trails connect all of the sites within a four-hour hike.

Related Tags

Pyramids Ancient Rituals Cultures And Civilizations Gods Archaeology Ruins

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Unmarked hiking trails lead to the pyramid. Detailed directions can be found online (on YouTube) and by downloading .gpx tracks. Most trails start from Bomarzo's sports grounds.

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LatiumMirabile

Published

November 7, 2018

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Etruscan Pyramid of Bomarzo
Via Cupa
Soriano nel Cimino
Italy
42.481322, 12.264259
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Nearby Places

Santa Cecilia Necropolis

Soriano nel Cimino, Italy

miles away

Tower of Chia

Soriano nel Cimino, Italy

miles away

The Monsters of Bomarzo

Bomarzo, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Soriano nel Cimino

Soriano nel Cimino

Italy

Places 7

Nearby Places

Santa Cecilia Necropolis

Soriano nel Cimino, Italy

miles away

Tower of Chia

Soriano nel Cimino, Italy

miles away

The Monsters of Bomarzo

Bomarzo, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Soriano nel Cimino

Soriano nel Cimino

Italy

Places 7

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