The charming
village of Porano dates back to the Middle Ages.
Its most impressive buildings are without a doubt
Castel Rubello (from Castrum Bellum), a fortress that dates back to the Romans, and the architectural complex of
Villa Paolina, with its large grounds laid out in the 17th and 17th century that include a number of rare and established plants.
But most of the countryside
around Porano is scattered with
Etruscan archaeological remains.
The large number of sumptuously
painted burial chambers indicate that this was a favourite area for the aristocracy of Volsinii to build their villas between the 4th and 2nd century BC.
Visitors should certainly visit the
three painted Etruscan tombs:
Golini I,
Golini II (which take their name from the man who discovered them in1836) and the
Hescanas Tomb, from the name of the family to whom it belonged. A number of inscriptions bearing the family name appear within the tomb, such as the one reading
Vel Hescanas on a funerary urn, and
Laris Hescanas, who is pictured on a chariot pulled by horses riding through the Etruscan underworld.
Although the painting decorations in the Hescanas Tomb are artistically of a fairly modest standard, the symbolic decorative motifs featuring winged deities from the underworld and players of wind instruments are an interesting insight into the importance this family placed in announcing its high social rank and political power.
This is the only painted tomb to have been found in the entire region surrounding the ancient city of Volsinii.
Some of the Hescanas paintings have remained in situ.
The remainder have been detached and are visible at the
Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Orvieto.
INFO:
Tomba Etrusca Hescanas
Località Molinella - 05010 PORANO
tel. 3382929520
OPENING HOURS
By appointment only on request
PRICES
Free entrance
[special thanks to Sig. Paolo Pastore archaeological specialist]