Abstract

This paper explores the intertwined relationship between human activities and riverine dynamics. It examines how rivers function as active agents within historical-cultural processes, influencing human actions, mobility, and ritual practices. Using the sacred landscape of the Fiora Valley, particularly around Vulci, as a case study, I present a new theoretical model and methodology for analysing riverine landscapes. The diverse typological patterns of sacred places in the Fiora Valley range from highly structured urban and rural sanctuaries to natural grottoes used for ritual purposes. Viewing these sacred places as active parts of the riverine network highlights not only their cultural-historical relationships, but also the deeper interdependence between the artificial organization of the landscape and the dynamics of the riverine environment.