A journey through time inside the Etruscan sanctuary that was the site of one of the most extraordinary finds in Italian archaeology in recent decades. It happens in San Casciano dei Bagni (Siena), where this summer, every Saturday, everyone is offered the opportunity to see the places of the Etruscans up close thanks to archaeological walks at the site of the thermal sanctuary, which precisely thanks to recent discoveries can now be considered one of the most fascinating and significant places for the study of Etruscan and Roman civilization. Every Saturday, at 5 p.m., with a meeting at the Cassianensi Rooms-the small museum space set up inside the atrium of the Municipal Palace-an itinerary begins that guides visitors through the centuries, among archaeology, landscape and historical memory.
The archaeological walks allow visitors to delve into the sacred site of San Casciano dei Bagni, located in the heart of the province of Siena: the sanctuary, discovered in 2021, returned between 2022 and 2024 a collection of bronze statues dating from the period between the third century B.C. and the first century A.D., in an exceptional state of preservation. The statues, which remained protected for over two thousand years by the hot sediments of the thermal pools, were found in an intact votive context, revealing an ancient place of worship frequented by Etruscans and Romans.
The route of the guided tours begins inside the Cassianensi Rooms, an exhibition space designed to house the first artifacts to emerge from the excavations and to narrate, with the help of multimedia materials, the history and importance of the sanctuary. Between images, videos and selected artifacts, visitors can get an idea of theexceptional nature of the discoveries and the historical complexity of the site. This first moment introduces the archaeological narrative that then unfolds along the walk to the sanctuary.
The second part of the itinerary takes place outdoors, in a landscape that preserves intact the signs of a millennia-old devotion. The thermal sanctuary stands in an area rich in hot springs, the same ones that still flow in the natural pools in the area and that, in ancient times, were considered to have healing powers. This link between water, health and sacredness underlies the original function of the site, which for centuries has attracted the faithful, the sick and pilgrims. The sanctuary at San Casciano dei Bagni is presented as an articulated votive complex rich in evidence, where religious and therapeutic dimensions are intertwined. The bronze statues found depict deities related to medicine and health, as well as offerers and symbolic figures, accompanied by inscriptions in Etruscan and Latin that attest to the presence of two cultures coexisting in the same sacred place. Some of the inscriptions provide valuable information about the authors of the offerings and the cultic practices related to the ritual use of the thermal waters.
The scale of the discoveries made between 2022 and 2024 has attracted the attention of the international scientific community. Archaeologists have called the find the most significant recovery of Etruscan and Roman bronzes in Italy in recent years. The exceptional state of preservation of the artifacts yielded new data on the religious iconography, linguistics and society of southern Etruria. The objects found had been intentionally placed inside the sacred basins, in a ritual gesture aimed at obtaining protection or healing, and the stratigraphic context in which they were found now allows a more complete reading of the functioning of the sanctuary.
Although many of the artifacts are currently being studied and catalogued, part of the statues and votive objects can already be seen at the Cassianensi Rooms, while plans are at an advanced stage to create a new museum dedicated to the thermal sanctuary. The future exhibition space will permanently house the bronzes and offer a structured museum itinerary to make the most of the discovery and place it in the historical and landscape context of San Casciano dei Bagni.
Meanwhile, archaeological walks are the most direct and engaging way to get in touch with the history of the place. Each appointment, scheduled on Saturdays at 5 p.m., allows visitors to visit not only the temporary museum but also the actual archaeological site, which preserves the votive basins and the excavation area. The initiative is designed for a wide audience, consisting of both archaeology enthusiasts and ordinary visitors curious about one of the most emblematic places of the encounter between Etruscan and Roman civilizations. The guided walks offer an opportunity for in-depth cultural study but also for discovering the area, fitting into the rich summer calendar of events that enlivens San Casciano dei Bagni.
Reservations are required to participate in the archaeological walks. The meeting point is set at the Cassianensi Rooms, inside the Town Hall of San Casciano dei Bagni. For information and reservations, one can contact 0578 58141, email info@sancascianoliving.it or use the WhatsApp service at 338 1547577.
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| In St. Casciano, all summer long, archaeological walks to discover the bronze shrine |
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