La Terra in Piazza is an ethnographic and symbolic interpretation of the Palio of Siena, a historic horse race held twice annually in the Italian city of Siena. Dundes and Falassi approach the Palio not simply as a tourist attraction or sporting event but as a complex cultural ritual deeply embedded in the social fabric and collective identity of the Sienese people. Using tools from folklore studies, anthropology, and psychoanalysis, the authors argue that the Palio functions as a form of social catharsis and symbolic expression of underlying cultural and psychological tensions, such as rivalry, fertility, aggression, and communal solidarity. The book includes detailed descriptions of the rituals, costumes, symbols, and narrative structures surrounding the event and emphasizes the importance of symbolic meaning in traditional festive performance. By doing so, it contributes significantly to the understanding of urban ritual, public symbolism, and modern applications of folkloristic theory.