111 HUM THE ETRUSCANS Professor Sonia Sorrell Chronology: Etruscans Roman Republic Age of Augustus Roman Empire Villanovans This time is parallel to the Archaic age of Greece. The Etruscans: Latin speaking peoples. Precursors of the Romans (like Aegean cultures were to Greeks) because they laid the foundation for Romans. When the Romans came down to Italy, the Etruscans were already thriving there (900 BC). They werent the oldest people in/of Italy, but we have the most evidence from them. Herodotus said the Etruscans came from Lydia in Asia Minor. Others said they came from Eastern Europe (they spoke Indo-European). But Herodotus is probably correct. They were well established in Italy. Italy is sea oriented. The Etruscans had city-states (i.e. Etruria). Rome was an Etruscan state before the Romans settled there. The lower part of Italy was settled by Greek colonies. The Roma called it Magna Grekia or Big Greece. Much of what we know about Greece comes from the Etruscans, especially their tombs, because they traded with them a lot. The Etruscans did not have a unified nation/state. They had city-states. They were monarchies, though, and that would have great influence on their architecture. When the Etruscans formed a city-state, they would locate it on a hill for weather and defense (warning). Because they chose such good sites, later peoples built over them. What we know of the Etruscans, we know from their tombs. Unlike Greece, which used stone and marble, the Etruscans built from wood and waddle and dob (its fragile and deteriorates over time.) Etruscan tombs were all placed away from the city of the deadNecropolis means city of the dead (necro = dead; polis = city). And the Necropolis was away from the city of the living. Tufa = volcanic rock (makes up much of the land in Italy). Its soft when wet but it dries hard. This is what most Etruscan tombs were made of. The tombs were built above land and covered with dirt, so stuff would grow on top (looks like little humps in grass from afar). The word tomb comes from the Lation word Tumulus, which is what these are. Tumului consist of tufa. The archways over the Etrustcan tombs were one legacy left to the Romans. The Romans didnt invent the arch; they brought it above ground and used it everywhere, combining it with concrete. Loculi/Loculus (where we get the word 900-509 BC, last king overthrown 509-31 BC, Battle of Actium (or 27 BC Augustus) 31 BC-14 AD, the Golden Age of Rome, Pax Romana 31 BC-476 AD, Odoacer becomes Emperor of Rome
location from)is a burial space inside the tomb. Some have remains of people inside. The loculi were carved out of the tufa because of the ability to carve easily into tufa. In fact, everything in the tombs are carved out of the tufaeven items. The tomb shown in class (Tomb of the Revelers) simulates the interior of an Etruscan house. They wanted to equip people with all they would need in the afterlife, so we see a bunch of items carved out (even beams in ceiling). Theres a painting of revelers (people having a good time), which shows a positive outlook on the afterlife. The reason is that the Etruscans were successful and prosperous traders and pirates, who brought things back from other cultures, especially ideas. They had contact with Egypt etc. Experience with cultures always makes you richer. The Etruscans were very outward looking. Revelers is from what would be the Archaic age in Greece. Etruscans = 900-509 BC. The Revelers painting shows very Etruscan attitude: lots of movement and very dynamic, as opposed to early Greeks. This is another thing the Romans take. Greeks = thinkers; Romans = doers. This fact is already present with the Etruscans. In Revelers, they might be celebrating funeral rights or imaginary afterlife. Theres a cup in the painting, which was developed to filter wine, which generally didnt happen in the ancient world. Drinking cups were expensive and taken by owners to parties and shown off (all have signatures). Another difference from Greece, besides forward movement, is that men are clothed in the Revelers painting. The Etruscans were modest. They wore a cape type thing. The Romans will pick this up from the Etruscans and always be depicted clothed or, at least, with a fig leaf or something covering genitals. They didnt appear nude in public. Aeolic capitals have Ionic style columns, proving influence of Asia Minor, Lydia, which is evidence that they came from there. These columns are in the tombs too. In one Etruscan tomb painting from class, men and women are dancing. In another frescoe, women are dancing in a circle. They are all heavily veiled. Women here had a high presence. Evidence: painting of one woman, obviously wealthy, with makeup, jewelry, barettes etc. In this painting, there is a foreshortening of the eye, as if youre really looking from the side (unlike Egyptians). Shes not idealized; this is probably a portrait of a real woman. There are many instances of portraiture from the Etruscans. They werent interested in the ideal type, but in individualism. The Romans take this. They get really into portraiture. Portraiture probably originated with the Etruscans (a legacy). The sarcophagus shown in class is also portraiture. means Sarcophogi flesh eater because they thought these were what ate the body. It is made out of terra cotta (baked clay). You can keep molding it over and over. Unlike marble, its very naturalistic. The sarcophagus shown in class has a husband and wife. People were placed on top of each other, together in here. This is very different from the Athenians, who separated wives in so many ways in life and death. This shows that Etruscan husbands and wives were very close and more equal. They are sharing a dining couch (this would never happen in Athens). Roman women will have much more freedom than Athenians did. On these dining couches, people would recline on the left elbo and eat with their right hand. The whole room was arranged that way, so you had to be right handed.
Acroterion means high places (acro = high; terion = place.) Acroterian sculptures, like the one shown in class, went on top of a temple. The man is striding/movingthere a sense of energy, vitality, movement. The Romans take this. Hes wearing a tunic with a toga over it. The Romans adopt this style of dress from the Etruscans too. Later, the toga is such a status symbol that only certain people can wear it (but all Romans will wear tunics). The detailed depiction of all the veins etc. is also uniquely Etruscan. Its very unsubtle, unlike the Greeces, where veins and bones looked like they were covered with a thick layer of skin. The Romans take this. Another Etruscan work shown in class: a statue of Mars (the god of war). Its made from bronze. Hes busy, talking and gesturing. It appears the Etruscans used a lot of gestures and Romans later pick this up with a whole set of precise gestures (thats why Italians gesture so much). Etruscan temples are frontal and directional with deep porch and high podium very different from the Greeks, partly because these are from monarchies. They arent democratic, so theres no three quarter view etc. like the Parthanon. Monarchy means one power rule. The arch for this form of govt: one can only approach from one place (the middle) and theres only one set of stairs. Only the front part is finished and the back is up against the forum, so you cant go to the back. The Roman arch will be like that very bilateral and symmetrical. Instead of one room, like the Parthenon, there are three. The Etruscans worshipped a triad (Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva). These are the same gods as the Greeks but with different names. Estruscan temples have podiums and statues on top of the roof (very unlike Greeks). They were brightly painted. They were made from wood and stucco, so most have deteriorated and/or been built over. The She-Wolf sculpture recounts the story of Romulus & Remus, the legendary founders of Rome, who were nursed by a She-Wolf. The one shown in class is Etruscan. Romulus and Remus were found in Rome on Capitol line hill, which had many government buildings, which is where we get capitol from. It has a tense, dynamic Etruscan look with ribs and veins showing. The story is that the twins were left to die by exposure and were found by a shepherd and then raised by a wolf. This is an Etruscan story, but it originates in Indo-European area. It was brought from Lydia and taken by the Romans. When the twins grow up, Romulus wanted to build a city, so he began constructing a wall. Remus made fun of him, so he killed Reums and then founded Rome (Rome is named for ROMulus). Some say that was 750 BC; others say 509. Both are very close to important Greek dates. There are many foundation stories for Rome. This is just one of them. We know that this was an Indo-European story and thus became Etruscan and thus became Roman. At one point or another, the Etruscans either participated in inhumation or cremation. When they cremated, theyd put ashes in a canopic urn. The one shown in class is sitting on a little Etruscan chair. Its wood with bronze nails. On the top is a portrait sculpture (probably of the deceased). His eyes are closed, so it may be a portrait of him after death. Etruscans believed in composite creatures. Evidence: caimara statuette shown in classes. It is part lion and part snake and part goat. When Greeks depicted half-animals, it symbolized others and barabarism. But the Etruscans believed in half-animals and in superstition.
The Etruscans were very superstitious, as were the later Romans. Also shown in class: back of bronze mirror, etched with Etruscan image and writing. It says chalkas. He was a priest in the Illiad. He is sacrificing an animal and reading a liver (this is called hepatoscopy). The Romans thought you could tell the future by reading the organs/liver of animals. The Etruscans made models of the liver too. Divination + demonology (definitions?) The Romans believed there were spirits for everything. So, this superstition is seen earlier here. The last Etruscan work shown: a holder of some kind with Latin writing on it. Latins traded a lot with Etruscans and then took them overthe stuff iin Latin is from 509 onward. Etruscan legacy to Rome: position of women; use of the arch; toga; sense of energy (doing); action; divination and superstition; modesty (clothed figures); portraits; realism; temples (frontal, deep porch, high podium)