The Mystery of the Etruscans

Few ancient civilisations have captured the regard of romantics and idealists as much as the Etruscans.

Not only did this ancient civilisation possess progressive attitudes towards women, art, and architecture, but they are considered to be the first “superpower” of the western Mediterranean and laid the foundations for one of the earliest cities in Europe.

Yet who the Etruscans actually were, where they originated from, and what happened to them are mysteries that have drawn the attention of archaeologists and historians alike over many years.

One thing is for sure, due to the Etruscan’s persistent influence over modern society, curiosity over who they were will never fade. 

 

Where did the Etruscans originate?

Rarely has a civilisation existed that has garnered as much debate about their origins as the Etruscans. Even ancient writers differed in opinions regarding whether they were indigenous to Etruria (now known as Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio) or whether they originated from Asia Minor.

Herodatus, the Greek historian, testified that the Etruscans migrated from Lydia (part of Asia Minor now known as Turkey) to Etruria during a time of hardship when Lydia’s lands couldn’t sustain enough crops to feed its people.

There have been linguistic studies that support this claim, as undeniable similarities were uncovered between the Etruscan language and the language used in Lydia. For example, the Lydian word for wine, mattu, was almost the same as the Etruscan one matu.

However, many modern historians would argue that the Etruscans were indigenous to Etruria and had resided there for many years before they were documented in the area. This belief has been mostly confirmed via modern DNA studies, proving it difficult to refute. Nevertheless, regardless of where the Etruscans originated, the fact that so many cultures lay claim to them is a testament to their pervading influence and legacy.

 

The Etruscan necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia

As most Etruscan cities are still inhabited, much of their history is hidden under layers of subsequent periods.

Therefore, the majority of our knowledge about Etruscan art and life was derived largely from their burial grounds; the Etruscans believed in equipping their dead with everything that they could possibly need for the afterlife – as is clear from the necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia.

The Etruscan world of the dead made it possible for us to learn more about their world of the living.

The two cemeteries, Cerveteri and Tarquinia, bear witness to the Etruscan’s achievements in culture and architecture and evidence a timeline of burial practices ranging from the 9th to the 1st century BC. The buildings in the necropolises provide valuable insights into the Etruscan’s daily lives as they so strongly believed in building another “home” for their loved ones in the afterlife, that their tombs were smaller versions of their own.

The Cerveteri necropolis consists of tombs that are organised in a city-like structure with streets, neighbourhoods, and even town-squares, illustrating how integral this civilisation was in regards to early city planning.

The necropolis of Tarquinia is more famous for its paintings; 200 tombs are decorated with artwork that dates as far back as the 7th century BC. Rich information about the Etruscan culture can be derived from the beautiful frescoed images on the walls of the tombs and carvings scattered around the necropolis.

 

The influence of the Etruscans

Part of the reason why the Etruscans remain so mysterious is that virtually all we know about them has come from indirect sources, many of which are ambivalent in nature. However, the Etruscans had an undeniably significant influence on a large part of the Mediterranean, especially on the early Romans.

Their imprint on Roman society included laying the foundations of Rome, the emergence of writing, art and architecture, as well as entertainment such as gladiatorial combat.

The Etruscan influence also tendrilled into the Italian Renaissance in works such as that of Michelangelo and still persists today in the attire of the church. It is clear that through their influence on Roman society, the Etruscans had a widespread impact on Western culture in years to come.

 

The problem with how mysterious the Etruscans are is that so few clues remain in order to answer all the questions that are asked, and the clues that do exist can be interpreted in many ways.

However, one question that can be answered is whether you could have any Etruscan heritage – find out today with My True Ancestry!