Introduction

Man's earliest attempts to seek out a supernatural dimension have often involved nature by interpreting extreme natural phenomena as a manifestation of the divine, or by associating the sacred element with places of special beauty or uniqueness.

Thunder and lightning, which bring fire down to earth, were widely considered gifts from the gods. The myth of Prometheus, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals for their use, is most probably related to this natural phenomenon (Bonnefoy, 1981):

Various cultures, including the Rigveda and Native American tribes, also feature tales of fire being stolen from the gods and given to humans.

Italian heritage and the sacred

In Italy there is a long-standing relationship between people and their sacred landscape (Figure 4.1). In the Iron Age, rural and mountain Italic sanctuaries were important public meeting places for local communities. In archaeological research, ‘sacred landscape’ refers to a network of consecrated areas and temples with different functions and appeal. The construction or destruction of ancient sacred landscapes was often a result, then as now, of conflict or instability: for example, when the Romans damaged or robbed the sanctuaries of their Italic enemies (Stek, 2005).