The funerary sphinx on display at the National Etruscan Museum in Chiusi (Siena) is making its debut on the court of the National Serie B. For the 2026–2027 season, San Giobbe Basket Etruria will feature a graphic design on its uniforms inspired by one of the most recognizable artifacts in the museum’s collections. The project, presented today in Chiusi, is the result of a collaboration between the Ministry of Culture’s Regional Directorate for National Museums in Tuscany, the National Etruscan Museum of Chiusi, and the sports club. The museum has granted San Giobbe Basket permission to use the image of the sphinx for a stylized graphic redesign intended for the official jerseys. The symbol will accompany the team not only in games played in Chiusi but also on the road, bringing a nod to the city’s Etruscan heritage to courts across Italy.
The sculpture, dating to the mid-6th century B.C. and originating from the Chiusi area, is made of fetida stone, a material characteristic of the region. It depicts a winged creature with the body of a lion and a human face, intended to protect the burial site and symbolically accompany the deceased on their journey to the afterlife. Donated to the museum by Count Pietro Ottieri della Ciaja, it is now one of the symbols of the National Etruscan Museum of Chiusi.
However, the collaboration extends beyond just the uniforms. The project “Museums Take the Court” establishes a connection between the museum and the arena, with the goal of introducing sports fans to Chiusi’s archaeological heritage and, at the same time, fostering an understanding of the basketball team among museum visitors. Among the planned initiatives is a 50% discount on ticket prices for San Giobbe Basket’s home games for visitors to the National Etruscan Museum of Chiusi who present an admission ticket issued within fifteen days of the game’s date. An information booth from the museum will also be set up at the Palazzetto dello Sport for the entire season, featuring materials dedicated to the city’s collections and cultural heritage.
San Giobbe Basket Etruria, competing in Group B of the 2026–2027 National Serie B, will thus feature a reference to Chiusi’s Etruscan history on its jerseys. Speakers at the presentation included Carlotta Paola Brovadan, Regional Director of the National Museums of Tuscany for the Ministry of Culture; Gianluca Sonnini, Mayor of Chiusi; Fabrizio Vallelonga, Director of the National Etruscan Museum of Chiusi; and Giuseppe Trettel, President of Umana San Giobbe Basket.
“With this initiative, the museum is, in a sense, stepping beyond its own walls to bring Chiusi and its heritage to the whole of Italy,” emphasized Carlotta Paola Brovadan, Regional Director of National Museums in Tuscany. “The image of the sphinx, one of the most significant symbols of the National Etruscan Museum, enters into dialogue with the world of sports and reaches a new audience through a team deeply rooted in the local community. It is a particularly significant example of how the promotion of cultural heritage can build new relationships and new forms of participation, making culture a living part of the community.”
“The sphinx represents an important part of Chiusi’s identity, and seeing it on our team’s jerseys means taking this identity beyond the city’s borders,” states Fabrizio Vallelonga, Director of the National Etruscan Museum of Chiusi. “The museum is a place of conservation and research, but also a space open to the community. This collaboration allows us to reach a different audience and strengthen our relationship with the local area, transforming an archaeological artifact into an ambassador for the history of Chiusi.”
“San Giobbe Basket’s new uniform is a tangible symbol of the bond between the team and our city,” says Gianluca Sonnini, Mayor of Chiusi. “Wearing the Sphinx—a symbolic artifact housed in the National Etruscan Museum of Chiusi—on our jerseys means taking the court with our millennia-old history, and it means spreading the name and beauty of Chiusi nationwide, forging a connection with every game between sports, culture, and the promotion of tourism in our city.”
“It’s very gratifying that the proposal to include one of the symbols of the city’s Etruscan history on our game jersey was met with enthusiasm by everyone,” said Giuseppe Trettel, President of San Giobbe Basket. “Our goal is to reaffirm, once again, our connection to the region—not just Chiusi, but all of Etruria. We are clearly a sports organization, but our involvement is deeply rooted in the fabric of the area, and we are attentive to all the wonderful things that surround us.”
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| The Etruscan Sphinx of Chiusi on the jerseys of San Giobbe Basket Etruria |
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