Landslides at Volterra, Tuscany, Italy

Abstract

Volterra is a delightful, vibrant medieval hill‐top town, situated at 550 m, on a narrow plateau, midway between Pisa and Siena, and 40 km from the coast (⇓Fig. 1). Originally, Volterra was a leading member of the 12‐city Etruscan federation, under the name Velathri. The town came under Greek cultural influence in the eighth century BC and subsequently under the Romans in third century BC. Important Roman remains include an amphitheatre. Major architectural features within the splendid walls date from the 13th century and include palaces and a cathedral. The town has been famous since Etruscan times for its fine alabaster, which is mined nearby. Fig. 1. Fig. 1. Location map. Remains of part of the Etruscan town are situated on a narrow spur of the plateau, about 0.5 km to the NW of the medieval town (⇓Fig. 2), called Le Balze (meaning ‘steps’, derived from the step‐like multiple slumps). This is the location of a spectacular active …