The gates of Hell: Inferno in Tuscany: Places and legends, from the Etruscans to Dante - Paperback

by Bernardo Tavanti (Author)

Since Etruscan times, the lands of Tuscany and northern Lazio have been characterised by a particular affinity
with the underworld.
First came the ancient necropolises, with their disturbing legends and imagery. Then came Dante's literature, which romanticised this relationship and seems to have amplified the psychology of the dark side of Etruria.
Evidence of these themes can be found in specific real places, such as the numerous entrances to the Inferno mentioned in local legends. The ancient Tuscan peoples believed these entrances to be real and used them for their visionary 'andirivieni' (comings and goings) ...
This research project aims to reveal the anthropological reality of the connection between Etruria and the underworld, by exploring places ranging from mountain ravines and volcanic lakes to bubbling sulphur pools, silent sacred forests and sinister strongholds, as well as urban areas.
The footsteps of Dante, poet and traveller, are often encountered, whether real or imaginary.