Just finished reading through Barker & Rasmussen's, The Etruscans (The Peoples of Europe) 1998. It seems to take the established autochthonous origins standpoint for the Etruscans. I also noted a passage which decribes similarity with painted tombs in Lydia, but Rasmussen puts this down to parallel Greek influences on two indigenous societies, and the fact that both are copying greek art.

It is clear that the emergence of Etruscan culture as we know it was a relatively late phenomenon.

In fact I will have to revise parts of my own website at some stage, particularly clarifying the development of the disciplina etrusca. Certain aspects of this are late, particularly urban planning, and the orthagonal planning of cities. It is clear that later settlements, from the late sixth century onwards adopt a Proto-Roman (don't read too much from that term) system of urban planning with the central aedifix, the cardo and decumanus complete with orthagonal grid network. Examples of these are Marzabotto and Spina.

However earlier settlements did not show any such degree of orientation and organisation. Examples such as Veii, Tarquinia and Acquarosso testify to this. The massive "palace" structure at Poggio Civitate (Murlo) retained the same orientation in its later 5th century development as it had in the 7th century - and far from north -south.


On the book itself, it is the best general guide I have come across so far that gives a compendium of medium sized Etruscan settlements at the back. The reports on the systematic investigations of settlement size and development are very illuminating.

In terms of the development of the trading links between the Greeks of Southern Italy and the Etruscans, there are some interesting observations, which make a lot of sense. The concept of Greek husbands with Etruscan wives, and the subsequent infiltration of Etruscan civilisation into Campania is a case in point. Now this latter intermarriage, given the independant nature of Etruscan women is a credible mechanism for the spread of Greek culture, writing and mythology. Of course the settlement of Greek artisans in Etruria is another.

In terms of a description of Etruscan Cultural development, Sybille Haynes "Etruscan Civilisation" covers each of the periods extensively, but Barker & Rassmussen get into the nitty gritty of individual excavations to a greater extent.

I get the impression that there are altered versions of Greek mythology adopted by the Etruscans. The two famous Etruscan mirrors showing Tarchun, legendary founder of Tarquinia are examples of this. One was found at Tuscania, and the other in Tarquinia.


On the Francois tomb murals, there are scenes of Greek mythology as you said, including the fraternal battle of Eteocles and Polynices (7 against Thebes). That is a recurring theme throughout Etruria. There is a cinerary urn in the British Museum, which some authorities believe to show this battle, but with some unfamiliar elements, such as an uprooted tree. This is from the 3rd Century in Chiusi, so it's relatively late in the piece.





Marce