European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 15, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                1 t a l y Mountain town topped by proud a. A. Cathedral work on Orvieto s Cathedral began in 1290, and the building was crafted into final form by the Middle of the 1500s. File by Jeff Matthews sons ago magnificent Powers of eruption and erosion shaped the landscape of Central Italy studding it with High bloc like Hills. These Hills for As Long As humans have thought about such things have been regarded As easily defendable Good places to build the forts castles and walled towns that abound in the regions of of Tuscany and Umbria. One of the Best examples of the so called medieval fortress towns is Orvieto North of Rome shortly after you Cross into Umbria from Lazio. Yet Orvieto has been holding the High ground for quite a while longer than the Middle Ages. It is an excellent place to review almost 3,000 years of italian history. As an important Center of population Orvieto was founded by the etruscan in the seventh Century . The etruscan Are an Enigma to us even today. They Are among the Best known pre roman Peoples in Italy but the inscriptions on the considerable archaeological remains that they left behind still stubbornly resist decoding and thus we know relatively Little about them. They were a formidable Power a federation More than a unified kingdom that carried on Commerce and War with Carthage and Greece. They eventually lost their last bid for historical permanence at the Battle of Cuma against the creeks five centuries before Christ. Orvieto was one of their principal cities although its exact role in the federation is unknown. As a seat of lingering etruscan Power Orvieto was destroyed by the romans in 263 . There Are today however still etruscan archaeological Sites to be seen in Orvieto including the impressive Tufa Crucifix necropolis on the outskirts. In addition the Palazzo Faina in Orvieto houses a museum of etruscan artefacts. Under the romans Orvieto was not particularly important although in the late Days of the Empire around 300  once again became a focus of agricultural and commercial activities due to the existence of the Large roman River port of Pagliano at the nearby Confluence of the tiber and Paglia Rivers. When huns and goths from the North swept Over the roman Empire Orvieto again became a Good place to be or at least Hole up. It was High and easily Fortis table. It became a relatively stable Center of Longobart Power until the turn  millennium at which Point the medieval town As we know it started to take shape. The appearance of the present Day town of Orvieto owes much to building that went on during the Middle Ages. Many of the streets Are fortunately too narrow for modern traffic although there Are those who insist on giving it a try. Among All the towers and churches from another age continued on Page 4 december 15, 1994 stripes Magazine 3