The Legion of Honor museum presents the first major U.S. exhibition on the Etruscans in two decades. The exhibition is the culmination of 10 years of careful research and planning, focusing on the Etruscan legacy of art, architecture, and engineering.
A new understanding of an ancient civilization
The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy offers a bold new understanding of a period before the Roman Empire, a time of flourishing culture in present-day Tuscany. From the ninth to the first centuries B.C., the Etruscans left a rich cultural legacy, reflected in artistic objects found in tombs, temples, sanctuaries, and homes. This new exhibition presents nearly 200 objects from the ancient civilization, such as bronze and terracotta vessels and sculptures, dazzling gold jewelry, and other treasures, including recently excavated bronze sculptures, on view to the public for the first time.
A gift for metalsmithing and goldsmithing
Etruria was rich in metals like copper, tin, and iron. As a result, the region produced master bronzesmiths who exported their finely crafted goods throughout the Mediterranean region while importing ideas and goods from their trading partners, including Egypt, the Near East, and mainland Greece.
Bronze handle from a large volute-krater (vase for mixing wine and water), late Archaic period, ca. 500‒475 B.C., possesses the distinctly large, ornamental handles associated with Kraters made in Vulci and exported to various parts of the world. The wing-booted youths are believed to represent the sons of Zeus. Metalworking and goldsmithing skills were also applied to create intricate ritual and burial objects. Luxurious grave goods are on display, including jewelry and bronze objects on loan from the Vatican’s Gregorian Etruscan Museum.
Ritual and sophistication
Divination rituals and strict religious observances were part of daily life, usually overseen by a priestly class. The Linen Book of Zagreb, 3rd century B.C. or later, is a linen-and-ink calendar of rituals and sacrifices for specific days of the year, and is the longest Etruscan inscription known to exist. This exhibition marks the book’s first appearance in the United States.
Cinerary urn of the spouses, (also called the Sarcophagus of the Spouses) Etruscan, Caere (modern Cerveteri) 520–500 BC. Terracotta, is a masterful example of funerary art depicting a wife and husband on a banquet couch. The artwork indicates that the Etruscans cremated their dead; the couple sitting side by side reflects the high status of women in society and suggests a relaxed, playful existence in the afterlife.
Additional objects include several bronze and terracotta objects with Etruscan inscriptions, two vessels inscribed with the Etruscan alphabet, and the lid of a cinerary urn depicting a reclining man holding a liver — a ritual object used to predict the future.
Restoring a place in history
The exhibition ends with a gallery revealing the Etruscan influence on ancient Rome and the merging of the cultures as they were integrated into the Roman state. Much of Etruscan technology and architecture, including their elaborate temples and public buildings, advanced hydraulic works, complex city planning, and engineering projects, was later adopted by the Romans. Despite this influence, the Etruscans are not as widely known in the United States as the legacies of Greek and Roman art.
Mysteriously, almost no written historical records provide descriptive accounts of the Etruscan civilization, their traditions, and beliefs. What is known about them is primarily derived from their artifacts, including bronzes, terracotta vessels, striking jewelry, and wall paintings. The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy aims to restore the Etruscans to their place in pre-Roman history, celebrating their craftsmanship, talent, and influence on the cultures that followed their innovative example.
The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy is on view through Sept. 20 at the Legion of Honor.
