The Vie Cave (in English ''excavated roads''), also known in Italian as Cavoni, is a road network in southern Europe, found in Spain, Italy, Turkey and as far east as Jordan. In Italy they partly link an

Etruscan __NOTOC__ Etruscan may refer to: Ancient civilization *Etruscan civilization (1st millennium BC) and related things: **Etruscan language ** Etruscan architecture **Etruscan art **Etruscan cities **Etruscan coins **Etruscan history **Etruscan myt ...

necropolis and several settlements in the area between

Sovana Sovana is a small town in southern Tuscany, Italy, a ''frazione'' of Sorano, a comune in the province of Grosseto. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy"). History Etruscan by origin, Sovana became a R ...

Sorano Sorano is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Grosseto, in southern Tuscany, Italy. It is an ancient medieval hill town perched on a tuff outcrop overlooking the Lente River. History Sorano was probably inhabited by the Villanovan culture ...

and

Pitigliano Pitigliano is a town in the province of Grosseto, located about south-east of the city of Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy"). The town is known as ''the little Jerusale ...

. They consist mainly of

trench A trench is a type of digging, excavation or depression in the ground that is generally deeper than it is wide (as opposed to a swale (landform), swale or a bar ditch), and narrow compared with its length (as opposed to a simple hole or trapping ...

es of variable width and length, excavated as nearly vertical cliffs in different types of bedrock, sometimes over sixty feet high, possibly serving as a defense system against invaders, wild animals or forces of nature. Although often dated as being carved by pre-Roman civilisations in the first or second millennium BC, the builders and purpose of the road system are largely unclear, and there are indications that they are much older than assumed. In Italy they are sometimes narrow, sometimes wider cuttings often running deeply through hills and bedrock, and are thought to have changed little since Etruscan times. Their construction is said to have resulted from the wearing through soft tuff but also harder bedrock by iron-rimmed wheels, creating deep ruts that required the road to be frequently recut to a smooth surface. Their dating is mainly deduced from the settlements they pass between, and objects from tombs beside them.Izzet, 193 This dating is deemed uncertain by those pointing out the extent of

petrifaction In geology, petrifaction or petrification () is the process by which organic material becomes a fossil through the replacement of the original material and the filling of the original pore spaces with minerals. Petrified wood typifies this proce ...

of the so-called

cart ruts A cart or dray (Australia and New Zealand) is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by draught animals such as horses, donkeys, mules and oxen, or even smaller animals such as goats or large dogs. A handcart ...

. In Roman times segments of the Vie Cave became part of a road system that was connected to the main trunk of the

Via Clodia The Via Clodia was an ancient high road of Italy. Situated between the Via Cassia and the Via Aurelia, it is different from them notably in that the latter was designed primarily for military long-haul, irrespective of settlements they met, but ...

, an ancient road linking

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

and

Manciano Manciano is a town and ''comune'' in the southern part of the province of Grosseto, Tuscany, central Italy. It has a population of about 7,200. Manciano is southwest of Pitigliano and northeast of Orbetello. History Manciano was once a fairl ...

, through the city of

Tuscania Tuscania is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Viterbo, Lazio Region, Italy. Until the late 19th century the town was known as Toscanella. History Antiquity According to the legend, Tuscania was founded by Aeneas' son, Ascanius, wher ...

, which branched off from the Cassia road in

Lazio Lazio ( , ; ) or Latium ( , ; from Latium, the original Latin name, ) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy, administrative regions of Italy. Situated in the Central Italy, central peninsular section of the country, it has 5,714,882 inhabitants an ...

territory. Wider segments are even included in the modern road system.

Vie Cave of Sovana

Around

, the Vie Cave wind around and towards the archaeological area of that town, then reconnecting with those from

and

Vie Cave in Sorano

Around

the Vie Cave begin coming out of the ''Porta dei Merli'', and descending into the valley of the river Lente. The ''Via Cava'' (singular for ''Vie Cave'') of San Rocco was on the opposite side of the Sorano county, along the ruins of the church of San Rocco, religious building of the

romanesque art Romanesque art is the art of Europe from approximately 1000 AD to the rise of the Gothic Art, Gothic style in the 12th century, or later depending on region. The preceding period is known as the Pre-Romanesque period. The term was invented by 1 ...

that retains parts of the original wall of the ''via''. Behind the ruins of the church there is a vast Etruscan necropolis with tombs hewn into the tuff. Near Poggio San Rocco and Poggio Croce there are also numerous Etruscan tombs and a columbarium, which are as rock-cut cells arranged in several rows one above the other. From

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

on these ancient tombs became a shelter for pigeons.

Vie Cave of Pitigliano

Around

there are several Vie Cave, including the one directed towards the archaeological area of Sovana.

Notes

References

*Izzet, Vedia, ''The Archaeology of Etruscan Society'', 2007, Cambridge University Press, {{ISBN, 1107320917, 9781107320918
google books
* Video, ''Ancient Roads in which no Vehicle Fits - part 2 of the 2018 Italy Expedition'', 2019, YouTub

Etruscans Ruins in Italy Archaeological sites in Tuscany Etruscan architecture Sorano Sovana Pitigliano