flying rats

September 16, 2011

Ubiquitous. I never knew life with pigeons before this year and now I know too much.

Here are two happily perched on the furthermost wall of new Tarquinia. Yes, I've been to this city before with my family, but this time I visited this site with my Art History class. I'm taking a class at the University here (in English) and we went on a seven hour field trip to Tarquinia.

I learned more about the town itself this time whereas before I was focused mainly on the Etruscans and going swimming in the Mediterranean. This part of Tarquinia was originally named Corneto, but it was changed in the 1920s when Mussolini brought it back to celebrate the glory of Italian history. That, and the word corneto has a bad connotation in Italian. Either way, the wall that surrounds current day Tarquinia is just 500 years old. I was actually disappointed.

It is exciting to be led through a town by a professor who knows the subtle differences in architecture. He read the buildings for us. The bricks on the left are typical Renaissance (called pillow blocks).

This building is located in the center, just as the town merges from Renaissance to Medieval and where the earlier wall stood. The flat front covering the blocks is clear Renaissance.

I never got to ask the Professor what this meant. It is located just outside the above building in the main square. Hand of Fatima? Protection against the evil eye?

This building is next to the pure Renaissance one above. It's a great mixture of the medieval and Renaissance coming together.

But, before we leave the main square, I'd like to pay homage to my distraction: pigeons everywhere. This is what the roof next to our apartment looks like at times. Just around 6AM every morning they spring into action and coo, flutter, and stomp. They leave feathers of all shapes and sizes and, the highly prized fertilizer, pigeon poop. Regardless, I'm quite taken by their coloring and I enjoy watching their movements. They are quite photogenic, aren't they? But not at 6 AM.

We walked into the Medieval part of town. How can you tell that the city had hard times? Towers. Towers meant there was a need for defense. This tower, just next to an old church, is for sale if interested.

We walked further into the medieval part of the town. It was here, under this arch/former road/joined homes/pigeon coup that the professor referred to pigeons as flying rats. Pigeons as flying rats! Sigh. I realized I was getting a bit too attached when I had to control my urge to protest. Goodness! They are revered in several religions (and by Bert!) and they are even considered one of the smartest birds.

Enough about pigeons. I'll move on. I'm sure this might be a sign that I'm losing it.

We visited the Etruscan museum and then we had a half hour of free time. I filled my wanderings with pistachio gelato and the best substitute for Starbucks' chocolate covered coffee beans ever: Pocket Expresso. After leaving new Tarquinia, we visited the tombs on the necropolis (city of the dead) around 6 PM. The light was just perfect; we glowed in the northern Lazio sun! Here are some urns that were found in the tombs.

Across the valley - away from the city of the dead was the living city of Tarquinia. The true ancient Etruscan city is overgrown with grass and trees (and probably packed with pigeons!).

We visited a few of the tombs. I think this one with leopards and the banquet scene is my favorite. You can see the leopards at the top.

Ok. What do you know about chemtrails? One of the leaders of the tour was insistent that these lines left from jet planes was part of a government conspiracy.

And, a loving farewell before getting on the bus. Lush pomegranates. Thinking of you, Ancient World friends!