Civic Archaeological Museum of Bologna, Bologna Etruscan section: the hoard of San Francesco.Dating back to the 7th century BC, it is the most important Iron Age deposit in Italy. It was found near the current Basilica of San Francesco and consisted of a massive terracotta vase (dolio) containing 14,841 metal objects, both whole and fragmentary, precious evidence of the life and activities of the Etruscan community of Felsina, the ancient name of the city of Bologna.Initially, it was considered as a reserve of metal intended for a foundry, hidden at the beginning of the 7th century BC. However, recent studies have considered the hoard as a possible public treasure, perhaps ritually deposited on a special occasion.
