San Giovenale is the modern name of the location of an ancient Etruscan

Etruscan civilization

Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...

 settlement close to the modern village of Blera

Blera

Blera is a small town and comune in the northern Lazio region of Italy near Rome, known during the Middle Ages as Bieda, an evolved form of its ancient name, which was restored in the 20th century...

, Italy. It was excavated by the Swedish Institute at Rome

Swedish Institute at Rome

The Swedish Institute in Rome is a research institution that serves as the base for archaeological excavations and other scientific research in Italy...

 in the 1950s and 1960s with King Gustaf VI Adolf

Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden

Gustaf VI Adolf - Oscar Fredrik Wilhelm Olaf Gustaf Adolf - was King of Sweden from October 29, 1950 until his death. His official title was King of Sweden, of the Goths and of the Wends. He was the eldest son of King Gustaf V and his wife Victoria of Baden...

 as one of the participating archaeologists. The excavations at San Giovenale has been, together with the excavations of Acquarossa

Acquarossa, Italy

Aquarossa or Fosso Acqua Rossa is the modern name of the location of an ancient Etruscan settlement abandoned or destroyed in the second half of the sixth century BC. Located near Viterbo, in Etruria, was excavated by the Swedish Institute at Rome in the 1960s and 1970s.-External links:*...

, the main source of information about how small and medium-size Etruscan settlements were organized.

The site

The main settlement consists of high plateau split in two parts, normally referred to as the Acropolis and the Borgo. The settlement is surrounded by a number of burialsites.

External links

• San Giovenale, The Swedish Institute at Rome
• San Giovenalo, Amministrazione provinciale di Viterbo