Pietra che sussurra e il Fiore della Vita a Firenze ~ esoterico e sacrale 𓂀

Stones that whisper and the Flower of Life in Florence ~ esoteric and sacred 𓂀

Montebeni’s mountains guard their mysteries within the silent stones. The alternative tour of Florence outside of the city walls, is a relaxing walking tour in the Montebeni hills of Fiesole. Here you can enjoy idyllic rural Tuscan views of olive groves, vineyards, the Centro Storico (and Duomo), and even the quarried cliffs of Fiesole. Visit ancient medieval stones, timeless engravings, and symbols that whisper from the shadows of Pre-historic, Etruscan and Roman heritage.

The ancient standing stones of Fiesole, found (rather oddly) within the private boundary of Frantoio Bounamici, a local olive pressing factory, store and restaurant

The purpose of these stones we will probably never know, but for sure they stand in a prominent position on the edge of the hill with a 360 view. There was a reason these were erected, they are not natural formations. I have asked the olive press factory whose grounds they are within, to enlighten me.

Another megalith anomaly, found at the base of Frantoio Bounamici. This suggests a much bigger build preceded this factory complex – again, most likely to be Etruscan, given the history of the area.

Brimming with ancient historical build evidence and fallen menhirs

Stumbled on a highly eroded but still very visible ancient engraved wave form, on a stone being used in a tiered olive grove wall. I have written to the museum to see if they wish to visit and make a record of it.

Have doodled lines outside of where the engraved ones actually are, so you can see the snake form

A uniform wavy line, very eroded and a lot better to see in person than this hazy photo I took

Ancient serpent-like petroglyphs and wavy lines often represent energy on the grid, paths, water flows, directions and boundaries, and Solstice snake depictions were also very common.

History is not always at museums, it is sometimes on your doorstep

The 'Flower (or Seed) of Life'

This revealed segment of wall has two Flowers of Life on it. Often referred to as a six-petalled rosette or the "Sun of the Alps". The smart workman who rendered it, left this intriguing area uncovered

The 'Flower or Seed of Life' symbol has deep roots in Italian history. Used by both the Etruscans and Romans as an apotropaic or protective emblem, it appears on 7th-century BC Etruscan funeral stelae and later in Roman mosaics. This heraldic wall feature is a later addition but it is still very old in origin.

There is an exposed patch of the original wall design that gives us a glimpse of history, possibly from the Medici period. At the corner of a large Coat of Arms visible (triangle in rectangles), are two Fiore della Vita

These sacred symbols were also used by the Longobards (Lombards) and in early Christian contexts as a symbol of rebirth, eternal life, and divine protection. The Ancient Egyptians burnt (some say lasered) one on the side of the Osiris complex.

If you're interested in knowing more, here is a 21 minute video worth watching:

Terrence Howard's critique is 3D, not 2D. Curves, waves and multidimensional forms

Early Christians also used it as a metaphor for Christ, death, and resurrection; it appeared in funerary contexts as a promise of eternal life; and it was valued for its magical or protective powers, embodying sacred geometry, balance, and harmony. Interestingly, the symbol of overlapping circles was also studied by ancient Greek mathematicians as a representation of the universe’s fundamental structure.

Another rendered stone wall of yesteryear, spotted in Settignano.

Blue and white design, possibly 150-200 years old, if not older still

Now for something ancient... Petrified wood, or the imprint of an ancient fossilised reed plant?

Several hundred or a few millions years ago, the darker textured part of the stone shows the wood or reed imprint

A close up:

The horizontal and vertical lines give me the impression that this is more likely to be fossilised Jurassic reed

Onto more modern day features with this shaped stone of interest, which I found on a local back lane:

A cornerstone (or pietra angolare)

The reverse

Boundary or Property Marker. Triangular stones like this, with lines were sometimes used to mark property limits or sacred spaces, especially in Etruscan and Roman contexts. Here in rural Tuscany, some stones with geometric carvings were used for agricultural boundaries but it could be a medieval stone from a local convent or monastery too ~ need to research this a little more!

Not sure why this was done but I love these random paint marks on this wall stone in Montebeni

Roman walls can be found all over Italy, and this is no exception. Part of a bathhouse wall in Tuscany

Another curious stone found on my local stroll shows what is left of the engraved letter "M" – as part of the Etruscan Language Identification (Rasna). Some interpretations of inscriptions in the context of boundary stones indicate that "M" is part of the name the Etruscans used for themselves or their land. TBH It could be anything, but it's certainly interesting and artificially altered.

What's left of an engraved M at the top of this stone. It is more likely to be centuries old given its weathering

MC engraved into the coal shed door of a local residence (the C is a lot more swish than the basic M)

A beautiful and famous Italian poem about stones comes from Giacomo Leopardi, from La Ginestra (The Broom Flower), where stones symbolise time, nature, and human fragility.

Italian (Leopardi, La Ginestra – excerpt)

"E l’uom d’eternità s’arroga il vanto. E le superbe e formidabili pietre mostran l’antico foco."

English translation

"And humankind claims for itself the glory of eternity Yet the proud and formidable stones reveal the ancient fire."

Two visible letters with part of a third. Looks like part of a word/name inscription. The left one is walling stone

Many of the rocks used at the sides of the road in Montebeni are reclaimed from much older builds. Some clearly cut at angles for masonry use as walling stones. It is sacrilegious to have moved them from their original wall and position, but handy to stop vehicles from parking in the woodland nearby, and from sliding off the road and down the bank in bad weather.

A Montebeni road ~ with enormous stones, which I believe (due to the shape) were once part of a wall or building

Enormous walling stones are often Etruscan or Roman, and are called cyclopian walls. Sometimes you can see that the base of the walls is much older and bigger than the newer smaller levels built later.

My son checking out the enormous base stones of this very old wall in Montebeni.

More examples of massive stones used within contemporary dry stone walling, in Montebeni.:

Here is local wall inscription, written in classical Latin.

Recently vandalised and restored. It is an epitaph, maybe?

quid = what

vacui = emptiness / of the empty / void

sub = under

umbra = shadow

leonia = leonine, of the lion (or possibly a proper name, Leonia)

desiderii = of desire / longing

"What emptiness [lies] under the leonine [? lion's or Leonia's] shadow of desire"

Natural Pietra Alberese, which is used in many residential walls here

The top of an old sewer, or the base of a cheese or fruit press. Very randomly placed outside McD's, in Galuzzo

Another repurposed roadside stone once part of a colossal wall (given its shape) in this area imo.

A small local Montebeni quarry where I am convinced that the cave had an opening, which has since been blocked.

I think the stone quarried is Ponsano Sandstone (but I am not a geologist quelle surprise)

Nevermind that! There are Etruscan passage ways to see, only two and a half hours away from Florence.

The Vie Cave is full of ancient roads that are sunken corridors carved by the Etruscans into the volcanic tuff. Over 2,500 years old, some plunge 20 to 25 metres deep, their towering walls are covered in moss which buffers the sound and makes it very peaceful and calming, assuming it is not busy on the day you visit.

The sunken "Vie Cave" paths are incredible Etruscan masonry, and worthy of a visit. Photograph: Zoonar GmbH/Alamy ~ from a Guardian Newspaper article

Sacred pathways into an Etruscan world, connecting villages, sanctuaries and the mysteries of a forgotten landscape and civilisation. The tickets are €20 to over €60 per person. ☻

Stones are quiet and steadfast, yet they carry the touch of human hands and the mark of ingenuity. They hold the steady energy of the earth and the stories of the past in a way nothing else can. It’s easy to overlook them, but if you slow down, you start to see, read, and even hear the tales they’ve been keeping for centuries.

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