Vetulonia, today a small village in the territory of Castiglione della Pescaia (Tuscany), was an important Etruscan city situated on a hill above the Grosseto plain. It originally overlooked Lake Prile, a lagoon connected to the Tyrrhenian Sea, now disappeared due to alluvial deposits.
The earliest traces of settlement date back to the 9th century BCE, with necropolises characterized by pit graves within stone circles. In the 7th century BCE, it developed into a more articulated city with imposing tombs such as the Tomba della Pietrera and the Tomba del Diavolino II.
The city experienced its peak splendor around the 5th century BCE, then declined and recovered between the 3rd and 1st centuries BCE during the Hellenistic period.
Megalithic Walls
Of particular importance are the megalithic walls of Vetulonia, an impressive defensive system made of large polygonal stone blocks demonstrating advanced engineering knowledge widespread since that era in many parts of the Italian peninsula.
Metalworking
Vetulonia was renowned for bronze and precious metalworking, and trade with other Etruscan cities and Mediterranean peoples was highly developed.