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Sacred Stones in Indian Civilization: with Special Reference to Megaliths

Sacred Stones in Indian Civilization: with Special Reference to Megaliths

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<< Other Photo Pages >> Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar - Ancient Temple in Italy in Lazio/Roma

Submitted by ivanjohnson on Friday, 19 February 2016  Page Views: 8028

Roman, Greek and ClassicalSite Name: Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar Alternative Name: Piramide Etrusca di Bomarzo, Altare Piramidale di Bomarzo, Pyramid of Bomarzo
Country: Italy Region: Lazio/Roma Type: Ancient Temple
Nearest Town: Bomarzo  Nearest Village: Bomarzo
Latitude: 42.481126N  Longitude: 12.261479E
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
5 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
3 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
2

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External Links:

Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar
Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar submitted by ivanjohnson : unknown Italy Altar in Lazio/Roma Italy terraadopt.com/bomarzos-secret-woods/ Image copyright: robra shotography []O] (robra shotography []O]), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API. (Vote or comment on this photo)
The Etruscan 'pyramid' altar in Bomarzo (Luzio / Roma), a huge (8 x 16 meters) carved volcanic tuffa rock, is believed to have been used as a place of worship by the Etruscans in around the seventh century B.C.

It is called "Pyramid of Bomarzo" although in reality it only partially resembles a truncated pyramid, and is actually more properly an altar, somewhat in the manner of Bronze Age altars in Spain or Peru. A more appropriate name may be "pyramidal altar".

The boulder has been carefully worked and has a staircase of 26 steps leading to the first two intermediate altars which are side by side, and then 9 more steps lead to the top where there is what appears to be another altar.

There are also various seats and, on the right side, carved channels through which spilled liquids might flow during sacrifices. There are also several niches 15cm deep that may have housed ritual or other items. There are several other other holes which may have held wooden handrails, canopies, or other structures.

The area where the pyramid is found is called "Tacchiolo" and is rich in artifacts and settlements belonging to the Etruscan period and earlier. It is possible that the place was used as a "high place" before the Etruscans.

The trails are sometimes not marked and submerged in vegetation.

The altar was discovered in the spring of 1991 by local researchers John Lamoratta and Joseph Maiorano. Unfortunately, official archaeology has not yet made a thorough study of this structure.
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Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar
Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar submitted by ivanjohnson : l'altare-piramide di Bomarzo Altar in Lazio/Roma Italy terraadopt.com/bomarzos-secret-woods/ Image copyright: robra shotography []O] (robra shotography []O]), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar
Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar submitted by ivanjohnson : Piramide Etrusca di Bomarzo-111 Altar in Lazio/Roma Italy Etruscan pyramid. Steps leading to altar where animal and, perhaps, human sacrifices were offered to the gods. The question of human sacrifice in Etruscan religious practices is debated by scholars; apparently, there is evidence that it occurred, the doubts are about how common or widespread it may have been. The pyramid is pretty i... (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar
Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar submitted by ivanjohnson : Etruscan Pyramid - Bomarzo Altar in Lazio/Roma Italy Image copyright: Axuria von Lionel (Luke Sigfried), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar
Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar submitted by ivanjohnson : The Pyramid Altar in Lazio/Roma Italy Julian Scanlon and Had Deane at the "so-called" Etruscan Pyramid of Bomarzo on an Archaeology trip to the town of Bomarzo near Viterbo. By Quincy Abramson Image copyright: School Year Abroad (SYA), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar
Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar submitted by ivanjohnson : Etruscan pyramid - stair - Bomarzo Altar steps in Lazio/Roma Italy etruscan pyramid - the stair have been dug out of the tufo rock: Image copyright: Caterina M. (Caterina Mulieri), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar
Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar submitted by ivanjohnson : Trutnut Phruntac thui Zeri Acasce Altar in Lazio/Roma Italy Another view of the pyramidal altar located in the woods near Bomarzo (precisely, at Poggio delle Rocchette). You can better notice the length of the main stairway and the height of the monumental complex. Here the "haruspices fulguriatores" celebrated their rituals (that's the translation of the etruscan title text). Image cop...

Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar
Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar submitted by ivanjohnson : diVided MateRiaLs Altar in Lazio/Roma Italy Italy 2012 Image copyright: marijla (Maria Ferrario), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar
Bomarzo Etruscan 'Pyramid' Altar submitted by ivanjohnson : The mystery of etruscan pyramid Altar in Lazio/Roma Italy www.photolysis.net Image copyright: Vincenzo Sagnotti (Vincenzo Sagnotti), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

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