What is the history of the Etruscan triangle Pitigliano Sovana Sorano?

The “Etruscan triangle” of Pitigliano, Sovana and Sorano was not a state nor a known alliance: it is the name given today to a small tuff territory marked by the Etruscans, then reshaped by the Romans and the medieval lords. In Sovanaoccupied since the 7th century BCthe necropolises and the monumental tombs bear witness to an important Etruscan center. The vie cavepaths carved into the rock and sometimes linking the necropolises, are emblematic of the region; their exact function remains debated.

In Roman times, Sovana becomes a municipium. In the Middle Ages, power shifts to the castles and hilltop villages: the Aldobrandeschi dominate the area, then the Orsini control notably Pitigliano and Sorano. Sorano has fewer Etruscan traces than its neighbor Sovana; its current identity is mainly tied to its defensive relief and its medieval history. The three villages therefore do not tell exactly the same story, even if their tuff landscapes connect them.

To locate them, allow about 7 à 10 km between each village, generally 10 to 15 minutes by car, depending on the route. The archaeological sites and the paths are visited separately; plan several hours if you want to walk in the vie cave, because it is not just a stop between two villages.