\f1 \fs22 In the middle valley of the Reno, about 20 km from Bologna, an ancient Etruscan \b \cf4 \ATXht1024 city\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 stood on the site of what is now Marzabotto. In the second half of the sixth century BC it was occupied by an irregular and unplanned settlement with huts built out of perishable material. The city laid out in a regular checkerb
oard pattern dates from the fifth century BC. To the northwest stood the \b \cf1 \ATXht1 acropolis\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 with its sacred buildings. Various crafts flourished at Marzabotto: brickmaking, pottery and ironworking. The city was abandoned in the se