Submitted by Lauren Gaston on the 2018 spring semester program in Rome, Italy…
After having not one, but FOUR John Cabot University (JCU) hiking trips cancelled over the last two weeks, the Bomarzo Hiking Trip: The Quest of the Etruscan Pyramid was still on despite forecasts of heavy rain. We loaded into vans early in the morning and drove an hour and a half north, to Riserva Naturale Monte Casoli di Bomarzo.
Although the trip seemed expensive, (JCU doesn’t profit from the school organized trips), I was skeptical of going at first, because it seemed like I could easily do the trip for less. But, the hike we went on wasn’t easily accessible by public transportation and the guide pointed out and explained the ruins we hiked past. I was able to practice my (very limited) Italian with her as well!
We explored the area and saw ancient mills, houses and trees that were thousands of years old. Two of the most notable places were an Etruscan sacrificial shrine and the village of Santa Cecilia. The steps up to the top of the sacrificial shrine, dated 7th century BC, were so steep that we had to practically crawl up them. At the top, there was a glorious view of the surrounding valley and nearby hills. Most likely, the shrine was re-purposed many times and used by different religions, as there are several religious symbols visible on the monument. Santa Cecilia, from medieval times had a winery with a pigeage (grape-stomping place), sleeping areas, a church and numerous sarcophagi. The guide pointed out several sarcophagi that were extremely small, indicating that most likely children or even babies had been buried there. Both areas were covered in green moss, creating an ethereal quality to them.
Despite the trail being muddy and all of us slipping at least once, the rain held off and we were able to see everything. I enjoyed meeting other JCU students, and even invited someone I met on the trip, Monica, to come (attempt to) cook squid with me that night. At the end of the day, it felt good to come home to Rome, but I thoroughly enjoyed being out of the city for the day and having the chance to learn about a part of Italy’s history.
