On one of your Livorno tours, you will undoubtedly visit the Etruscan Museum, Livorno. Populonia was the only one of the ancient Etruscan cities on a sea coast. The town specialized in the smelting of iron from ore brought from the island of Elba and tin and copper found on the mainland. Populonia was known as Fufluna or Pupluna after Fufluns, the wine god of the Etruscans. Populonia was destroyed by the Lombards in 570 AD. The city was positioned on top of a hill surrounded by the sea waters of the Gulf of Baratti. Within the medieval walls is a small village with some good shops. The fortress (built with stones from Etruscan remains) from which there is a good view of the Tuscan archipelago was built in early fifteenth century. In Populonia, the Etruscan Museum, Livirno (a private museum) displays Etruscan and Roman archaeological finds from the sea bed and excavations in the town (The Apollo of Piombino statue, on display in the Louvre of Paris was recovered from Gulf of Baratti waters). The notable exhibits and displays at the Populonia Territory Archaeological Museum are:
Ajax statue from 500 to 480 BC
Slag exploitation in Baratti Gulf
Black slag deposits
Quarry reconstruction
Etruscan ovens being rebuilt
Grave Decorated
"Workshops" Fourth century BC
Iron extraction from ore
Etruscan coin collection
Etruscan ship rebuilding
Necropolis, From the fourth and third century BC
Earrings from Necropolis
Sarcophagii
Bronze woman and pomegranate, Fourth century
Carts Grave, VII century BC
Oil or wine container
Baratti vista
Populonia is 76 kilometers from Livorno. To reach Populonia, one heads for Grosetto on the SS2 to the south and 56 kilometers later, exit for San Vincenzo. You then continue towards Piombino ( Elba's nearest port) and 13 kilometers later, head right for Baratti and Populania.
While the Etruscan Museum, Livorno will always remain one of the finer tourist attractions in Livorno. You are requested to visit it while in Livorno.
Travel.mapsofworld.com provides description of Etruscan Museum, Livorno.
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