Situation
Volterra lies in a region of much-eroded hills some 50km/30mi from the coast of the Maremma and 65km/40mi southeast of Pisa.
History
Excavations have shown that the hill between the rivers Cécina and Era was already occupied by a settlement in
prehistoric times. This was succeeded by the Etruscan town of Velathri, a member of the Etruscan League of twelve cities, which covered an area about three times the size of the present town. In the third century B.C. the town became a Roman municipium under the name of Volaterrae. In the Middle Ages it was a free commune, which contrived to retain its independence until it was brought under Florentine protection in 1361. It is famous as a center of alabaster- working, a craft which was revived in the 19th century.
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