Scoglietto sanctuary

About

The temple of Diana Umbronensis is an archaeological site near Scoglietto in Tuscany, Italy. The site first appeared in the archaeological record in 2005, when two rangers at the Maremma Regional Park discovered a marble inscription commemorating Diana Umbronensis. The epithet Umbronensis most likely refers to the Ombrone river.

Despite this initial discovery, excavation at the site did not begin until 2009 and was not completed until 2011. This initial excavation was conducted as part of the Alberese Archaeological Project and administered by the Soprintendenza Archeologia Toscana with the assistance of the Associazione Culturale Alberese. These studies unearthed the existence of an ancient Roman temple that was dedicated to Diana Umbronensis.

The choice of temple location may owe its origin, at least in part, to the regional fauna. Boars and deer—both animals associated with Diana—are commonplace in the surrounding area, which may have motivated the construction of a temple to the hunter goddess. Furthermore, the temple is situated atop a hill that was—at the time the site was constructed—probably located directly by the sea, although the modern shoreline has changed significantly...