The Etruscans lived in the region currently known as Tuscany, Italy. The origins of the Etruscan culture remain a mystery. Some archaeologists believe they migrated from the Aegean region or Northern Europe. Others think that their culture was developed in Tuscany itself. The earliest state of the Etruscan culture is the Villanovan period (900-675 B.C.). Artefacts remaining of this period are pottery and cinery urns but also metal belts and clothes-pins. The Etruscans were famous for their m
etallurgical work. Their jewellery of bronze are often beautifully decorated. Later, exquisite golden ornaments were produced by delicate techniques like filigree and granular.
Around 700 B.C. the Etruscans had developed tight connections with the Greek colonies in South Italy. Greek influence on the Etruscans was very strong. They copied the Greek alphabet and a large part of the Greek mythology. Because they adopted the Greek alphabet we are able to read Etruscan texts. However, we do not understand their language completely and the meaning of words and the grammar are still not completely deciphered.
During the sixth century B.C. the Etruscans reached the peak of their economical development. They controlled most of the trade routes, especially in the Western part of the Mediterranean. They used their metals for trade of among other commodities, pottery from Greece. These commodities were resold to small settlements in the coastal area of Spain and France. The Etruscans also developed their own industry of pottery, in which they imitated Greek ceramics. Additionally, they still made their own typical pottery, bucchero. Much of the wealth Etruscan merchants gained in this period has been rediscovered in their graves.
The Etruscan funerary tradition had a wide scope. Large amounts of pottery and other objects that could be useful in the afterlife were given to the deceased in the grave chamber. The walls of these chambers were often magnificently painted. The deceased was laid on a bench as if he or she were reclining for a meal. Cremation was also common in the Etruscan culture. Cinerary boxes and u
rns were entombed in the grave chambers. The cinerary urns, of which a few are on display in the Museum, are often decorated with reliefs. Usually the deceased is represented on the lid of these coffins.
Besides cinerary urns, pottery and clothes-pins, votivegifts are an important part of the Allard Pierson collection. Most of these gifts are referred to as "ill parts" of the human or animal body. The donor of a votive gift hoped this particular part of the body was cured after sacr
ificing it to one of the gods. An excellent example is a life-size statue of a baby in swaddling which can be seen in the Museum. Perhaps it was sacrificed by a grateful mother after a successfull delivery.
The culture of the Etruscans declined after the trade routes came under the influence of the Greeks and Phoenicians. The economic crisis persisted for some time but there are signs of recovery in the fourth century B.C. Finally the Etruscan cities succumbed, one by one, to Roman military supremacy.
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