Courses

Who were the Etruscans? Despite centuries of excavation and exploration, the Etruscans are still one of the mysteries of ancient history. How much of their culture can we piece together and on what is this reconstruction based? The lack of lengthy Etruscan texts continues to be a primary reason why we still have only a fragmentary record of Etruscan culture. On the other hand, the material culture is rich, abounding in ceramics, bronzes, tomb wall paintings, and many other necropolis-related finds over several centuries. In addition, one can trace influences in Etruscan culture from Phoenician and Greek colonies and marvel at the quantity of Greek art preserved by the Etruscans.

In this course, we will examine the Tuscan topography, sites and contexts, art, and artifacts via slide-illustrated lectures. We will also explore new Etruscan discoveries—including a very recently excavated cache of 24 monumental bronzes—and their importance to both Etruscan religion and art, as well as new understanding of long-distance Etruscan trade networks. We will also learn about the state-of-the-art analytical archaeological science behind innovative Etruscan technologies.