"
From the Prehistory to the Romans"
The most important findings from the prehistory are
located on Pianosa, but you can only visit the island with guided
tours and with a limited number of visitors. But this marvellous
island is worth a visit and features the beauty of a breathtaking
sea, with a crystal-clear water that is prohibited for boats
since 1979 and a wonderful archaeological heritage. |
From
the Middle Ages to the Medici Family |
| From
the Medici Family to Napoleon |
| From
Napoleon till Today |
Museums
Underwater
archaeology |
Remains of human and animal bones, and silica manufactures such
as blades, points, fireplace and ceramic fragments have been
found in the caves at Punta Secca and Cala Giovanna which testify
the presence of man on the island already 18000 years ago. Underground
well tombs have been found on the south part of the island.
These tombs were probably excavated by the Rinaldonians who
lived in the Archipelago during the Copper era. The tombs have
returned 2 almost intact human skeletons, stone axes, obsidian
and ceramic fragments. The catacombs, which you access from
the port of Pianosa, testify the beginning of the Christian
civilisation. The thousands of underground passages that wind
for more than 200 metres go back to the III-IV century when
the first Christians were condemned to hard work in the tufa
caves. Today the passages preserve the remains of more than
500 completely abandoned graves. On Capraia, a mule track along
the coastline takes you from the village to Monte Arpagna, where
you can see a sort of very old nuraghe which look like the ones
on Sardinia and probably used as stables. The most important
remains of the Etruscan period are the rests of an old oven
which was used for the working of the iron in Capo Pero, between
Rio Marina and Capo Castello on Elba, while it is almost impossible
to count all the marvellous Roman villas of the Patricians in
the Archipelago. On Pianosa you can still see the remains of
the villa of Marco Giulio Agrippa Postumo, who was confined
here by his uncle, the emperor Ottaviano Augusto, who was convinced
that his nephew hated the imperial family. The villa of Agrippa
was located on the shore and covered more than 3000 square metres,
comprehending a theatre, a wet basin and a couple of thermal
baths. Today some parts of the villa lie under the water and
the facing soundings, Cala San Giovanni, host many remains from
the Roman period. There are remains of an old Roman villa, probably
built by the Domizi Enobarbi family in Giglio Porto, on the
island of Giglio. Some of the rooms had fish-ponds. An itinerary
to discover the marvellous remains of the Romans could not exclude
Portoferraio, that, though being the town were the impact of
Napoleon is evident, preserves what is left of the Villa delle
Grotte from the period of Augustus. The refined imperial Roman
taste can be noticed from the remains of the building which
was built in a panoramic location on the promontory on the south-east
part of the gulf of Portoferraio. The rests of the mosaic floor,
the painted plasters and the elegant stucco are still visible.
The villa had even its own small granite mole where the boats
could berth. The remains of the Roman villa of Capo Castello
cover three areas nearby. The promontory of Capo Castello, that
today features modern buildings, Colle del Lentisco and Capo
Mattea. The villa, presumably from the period between the I
century B. C and the I century A.C. was built on a terrace which
descended towards the water and holds mosaic fragments, a pilaster
strip capital and some ceramic fragments. Giannutri has also
many remains that testify the Roman civilisation, first of all
the Villa of Domizio Enobarbo who built his marvellous residence
in front of Cala Maestra. It is the most impressive Roman settlement
on the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, a superb building
with elegant thermal baths, storehouses, residential rooms and
rooms for the servants, water reservoirs, a big panoramic terrace,
stuccos and precious decorations, marble, frescoes and mosaics.
The location on the top of Cala Maestra embellish this marvellous
example of Roman architecture even more and offers a fascinating
environment which is definitely worth a visit. Unfortunately
there is not much left of the Roman port of Cala Spalmatoio,
almost completely covered with cement from the 70's. Only some
granite pilasters from Giglio which have been rescued, remain
from this old port. If you take walk in the bush in Poggio Rosso
and Poggio del Cannone, you are able to see some remains of
a small temple dedicated to the hunting goddess Diana who protected
the island. |
Photos from APT Tuscan Archipelago and Mediaweb srl.
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