Ghiaccio Forte

Just outside of Scansano on the SS322

Ghiaccio Forte is thought to have been founded in the 4th century BC,  during a time when many Etruscan cities in the Fiora and Albegna valleys were being built, including Saturnia.

Historians think Ghiaccio Forte might have actually been created as a new home for those Etruscans who had left cities such as Marsiliana to escape the Romans. Others prefer the theory that the site was a refuge for farmers or a home for the area’s wine makers. However, the Etruscan name for Ghiacco Forte remains unknown.

The best preserved section of the ancient settlement is the city wall. Made from stone blocks placed parallel with rocks to fill the gaps, the wall was about 1km long, 4m thick and probably 8 feet tall, and was much stronger than other Etruscan walls found in the Maremma.

Inside the city there remains a small temple known as the Tempio di Divinità Agreste. Inside the temple, which was built between the 5th and the 3rd century BC, archaeologists unearthed votive offerings including statues of warriors and animals, as well as ceramic heads and body parts, bowls, vases, goblets and jars – all of which are on display at the Museo Archeologico di Scansano.