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The Destruction:

The Archaic Phase Building of Poggio Civitate, which had been recently constructed, was destroyed in the mid- to late sixth century BCE in a single event, along with the rest of the settlement at Poggio Civitate. This destruction was thorough and complete, and parts of the structure and the roof of the Archaic Phase Building were broken and scattered in wells and depressions across the site. There is evidence that certain parts of the Archaic Phase Building were targeted in this destruction, specifically decorative architectural terracotta features (frieze plaques, sima, and akroteria) depicting the elite family that most likely ruled Poggio Civitate towards the end of the Archaic Period. These aspects were largely parts of the roof structure and they were destroyed systematically. They were then discarded to the western side of the Archaic Phase Building in a pit in the ground. More general pieces of the destroyed building, especially broken roof tiles and other debris were thrown into wells discovered west of the building; one of these wells additionally contained a partially destroyed travertine altar that weighed more than 300 kilograms. The walls of the building were left either partially destroyed, or vulnerable to the elements and then decayed over time. There was a single known casualty of the destruction: one fragment of a human skull, who is assumed to have been an individual killed during the event, was found lying outside one of the wells filled with debris.

Possible Theories:

Connections have been made between the destruction of the Archaic Phase Building and a growing concern about the defense of the settlement: some scholars even point out that the structures (like watchtowers) that were being constructed resemble defensive buildings of colonial America. There is also evidence, in the form of wells that were constructed immediately prior to the destruction, that there was an sharp increase in people moving closer to the Archaic Phase Building, perhaps for security or protection from outside threat. It is possible that this was a result of prior failed attacks on the settlement. One theory for the complete destruction of Poggio Civitate is a political interaction. The sixth century BCE was a violent time in Roman history; Etruscan, Latin, and Umbrian city-states that were most commonly ruled by elite families were engaged in constant conflict. These elite families wanted to extend their power, and often absorbed or destroyed neighboring city-states. Some scholars believe that Chiusi, one example of these rising city-states, was responsible for the destruction at Poggio Civitate because of a series of Tarqiunian style tomb paintings discovered in Chiusi that implied violence between rivaling city-states (possibly Poggio Civitate). The specific targeting of artwork portraying the supposed elite family of Poggio Civitate during the destruction also adds potential credibility to this theory. Another theory that exists is that a ritual destruction of Poggio Civitate occurred. This theory is derived from evidence that an agger, or an artificial mound of earth, was constructed after the destruction of the Archaic Phase Building as a symbolic marker. This agger could have been separating the destroyed structures and uninhabitable land from the land that could continue to be inhabited after the destruction, and that the people of Poggio Civitate themselves had participated in this ritualistic destruction, or "unfounding" of their settlement. This could offer another explanation for the targeting of artwork depicting the elite family; the people of Poggio Civitate wanted to destroy and rebuild their settlement under new leadership. One scholar, Nancy de Grummond, points out that certain aspects of the Archaic Phase Building (the walls) were still standing near the agger at the time of discovery, possibly revealing that the destruction was not so thorough after all and could have been motivated by something other than violence or conquest as the first theory suggests. There is no concrete evidence definitively proving any hypothesis.

Abandonment:

After the final, thorough destruction of Poggio Civitate, it is thought that the site was never reoccupied. There is evidence of people passing through the area, such as a couple Medieval coins pottery fragments, but no evidence of any type of permanent settlement post-destruction. Nancy de Grummond argues instead that the was constructed after the destruction of the Archaic Phase Building on Piano del Tesoro, and could indicate that there was a plan for people to occupy the hill post-destruction, or that people may have in fact continued to inhabit it. This theory is difficult to prove because descriptions and surveys of the agger contain many inconsistencies. So far, there has been no conclusive evidence of settlement on Piano del Tesoro after the destruction of Poggio Civitate, but the volume of artifacts found at the site decreases significantly after the date of destruction.

Bibliography:

Source 1 - Etruscology by Alessandro Naso - This book makes very general claims about the destruction at Poggio Civitate, stating that the Archaic building was destroyed and abandoned. It also describes how destruction was thorough and decorative elements were strategically targeted and broken, and ended up in the pits and wells.

Source 2 - Poggio Civitate by Anthony Tuck - This book goes more in depth about the destruction of Poggio Civitate, and connects the construction of certain buildings (like walls and the possible watchtowers of the Archaic Phase building) with an impending threat to the security of the people who inhabited the site immediately prior to destruction. It also offers possible explanations for a motive for the destruction, including political tensions between elite families ruling rising city-states and the elite family that ruled Poggio Civitate.

Source 3 - Poggio Civitate: A Turning Point - This article argues that some of the conclusions drawn from certain archaeological evidence aren't completely sound, and can't be accepted as fact.