The François Tomb is chock-full of elaborate frescoes with complicated messages we may never fully understand.
Etruscan: c. 800 – 300 B.C.E.
Doors to the afterlife, Etruscan tombs were happily decorated. But as war increased, that began to change.
Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia (from ...
Confronting Hercules in the middle of his labors, this clay statue of Apollo strides forward.
Apulu (Apollo of Veii)
An Etruscan in Roman clothing, this figure is a masterwork—made as Etruscan culture was slipping away.
Aule Metele (Arringatore)
Lighting struck this statue dedicated to the Etruscan god of war, marking it as a particularly sacred object.
Mars of Todi
A vicious mythic beast, the Chimera is a terrifying mix of animals—that even attacks itself.
Chimera of Arezzo
All signs point to a party: cushions, drinking equipment, and armor hung on the wall … but a party in a tomb?
Tomb of the Reliefs
Etruscan funerals were a celebration, where the living could share a final meal with the deceased.
Tomb of the Triclinium
Women in Etruscan society were far more active in public life than their Greek and Roman neighbors.
Sarcophagus of the Spouses (Louvre)
The intimacy of this clay sculpture is unprecedented in the ancient world. What can it tell us about Etruscan culture?
Sarcophagus of the Spouses (Rome)
Forget what you know about Greek and Roman architectural orders—Etruscans had their own unique style.
Temple of Minerva and the sculpture of ...
The distinct black pottery of the Etruscans, bucchero, shines like metal, and was a symbol of rank and achievement.
Bucchero
What was the first superpower in Italy? The Etruscans dominated long before Rome did.
