Excavation area of the House of Seeds

3D Image

by Museo etrusco di Populonia Collezione Gasparri
published on 27 February 2017

GPS 42.990014, 10.499698
5th - early 3rd century BCE

The emergency excavation, carried out by the Archaeological Superintendence of Tuscany in the wake of the violent flood which hit Populonia and Baratti on October 28, 2015, led to the localization of the low city of Populonia, the ancient seaside harbor and neighbourhood previously known only from ancient sources. The archeological investigations unearthed the remains of a late-Etruscan period house, named The House of Seeds. The finds show that the harbour village included both public and private buildings decorated with architectural terracotta and beautifully painted antefixes protecting the roof tiles, a testament to the refined tastes of an elevated social class. The excavation concentrated on the inner courtyard, in an area used as warehouse. Leaning against a stone wall, largely in pieces, were three large dolia: the discovery of several grapeseeds inside seem to indicate that the jars contained wine in the midst of the process of fermentation.