Underground Italian Pyramids at Orvieto
The Italian city of Orvieto has long been known as a place to view medieval ruins but just recently it has become the focus of archaeologists for another reason. In 2011 it was discovered that there are ruins underneath the city that date back to the Etruscans. The Etruscans were a sophisticated culture that existed in Italy around 900 BCE. The society would eventually blend into the Roman empire which makes it harder for archaeologists to fully understand their culture today.
Archeologists have been able to excavate 15 meters (49 feet) down to uncover underground pyramids. The site had been intentionally backfilled for reasons that have yet to be understood. The fill material has been a boon for finding artifacts from the 5th century BCE when the pyramids must have been filled. What has been of particular interest to archeologists is the number of Etruscan language inscriptions that have been found, more than 150. This could lead to a greater understanding of the Etruscans.
It is believed that there are at least five pyramids below the city but only two of them have started to be excavated. The process is very slow and painstaking as artifacts need to be preserved and the site itself must be protected as archeologists dig further down. There are still no answers as to the purpose of the pyramids. It is clear that it was not a quarry because the walls are too smooth and precise.
Researchers also do not know why the pyramids were built or what they were used for. Theories about whether they are religious structures or tombs continue but there has been no definitive evidence to point in either direction as of. Claudio Bizzarri who works at the site believes that they will only find the answer at the bottom of the caverns but no one knows just how far down they will have to dig to get there.