Poggio Sommavilla: Archaeology and Finds

Poggio Sommavilla’s archaeological story can be explored through a site, specific excavation findings, and collections at two museums. No visible remains can be seen at the necropolis itself. So if you expect to find structural remains there, you should not base that expectation on a visit to the site: the finds and how they are interpreted offer a different way to explore the history of the place. To get your bearings, it is worth distinguishing between the context in which an object was found, the object itself, and its presentation in a museum.

The Fiaschetta: an inscribed find

The Fiaschetta is an amulet pendant made of brown ceramic, bearing an inscription dating to the 7th century BC. It was found in 1895 among the grave goods in Tomb III at the necropolis of the archaic center of Poggio Sommavilla. The inscription is considered the oldest example of Sabine writing. This object brings together a precisely identified find context and a linguistic interpretation: it is defined by its material and form, as well as by the place and time of its discovery. The date of the inscription and the year 1895 refer to different periods: the former points to antiquity, while the latter marks the later discovery of the tomb.

Excavations and chronological context

Archaeological finds from Poggio Sommavilla span the prehistoric period to late antiquity. The excavation records also cover different periods: around ten tombs were discovered in the 19th century; a campaign carried out between 1983 and 1986 uncovered a further 48 tombs. The first figure is explicitly approximate, while the second states the number of finds from that later campaign. Some of the tombs show Etruscan influences. A broad chronological perspective thus sits alongside a closer focus on individual tomb finds. The excavation records should therefore not be treated as referring to a single investigation or period.

Finds in Magliano Sabina and Rieti

Finds from Poggio Sommavilla are displayed in the civic museums of Magliano Sabina and Rieti. The Museo Civico Archeologico di Magliano Sabina is located in Palazzo Gori, Via Sabina 19. Part of its second floor is devoted to finds from the archaeological area of Poggio Sommavilla. At the Museo Civico Rieti, finds from the necropolis in Room 12 illustrate the period from the archaic era to the threshold of Romanization. The Museo Civico Rieti also houses an Attic kylix from Poggio Sommavilla.

The two museums take different approaches: Magliano Sabina focuses on finds from the archaeological area, while Rieti links the necropolis to a specific historical span. If you are interested in the chronology, Room 12 offers this broader view, from the archaic period to the threshold of Romanization. The Fiaschetta, in turn, connects an individual object with a precisely identified tomb context and an inscription. This allows the subject to be explored at different scales, without combining the finds from the two museums into a single collection.

Rail information for your trip

Collevecchio-Poggio Sommavilla station is on the Fiumicino–Orte railway line. If you are including train connections in your travel plans, check the latest departures before you travel.

Discover more destinations: Cantalupo In Sabina, Cottanello, Monte San Giovanni In Sabina, Greccio, Contigliano, Castelnuovo Di Farfa, Montenero Sabino, Casali.

For the broader travel overview: Rieti.