MANU, Home of Larth and Aule

By train it’s just two hours from Florence to Perugia, capital of today’s Umbria region. Which wasn’t actually settled by the Umbrian people in classical times but by Etruscans, so it wasn’t much of a surprise that the majority of inscriptions on display in the Museo archeologico nazionale dell’Umbria were in Etruscan. The collection is crowned by the Cippo di Perugia, a stele containing an exceptionally long Etruscan text, which receives its own room and audiovisual explanation. Shorter, more schematic inscriptions can be read on the numerous funerary urns from different interment chambers excavated in the region. From the names of deceased and their family it would appear that every other Etruscan male was called either “Larth” or “Aule” (probably no relation to Tolkien’s god).

A City on a Rock

More remnants of the Etruscan civilization can be found on the hilltop that today forms the city center, most notably the 3rd century Etruscan well that was dug 37 m deep into the ground. Also substantial parts of the city’s fortifications are preserved from Etruscan times.

The panorama from uptown Perugia of the Umbrian Appenino is stunning. Assisi (definitively a relation to Tolkien’s world!) shines on the slopes of Monte Subasio as though it was surrounded by a halo. Architecturally the town is a gem of the Renaissance with superb marble façades lining the central square and its close environs, the Palazzo dei Priori being the largest example. Unfortunately only a small part of it was accessible today as the National Gallery remained closed today. Which was rather ideal as it freed up some time in my plan for exploring the city on foot, which is a must in Perugia, a city gorgeous in every corner.

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