Land of the Etruscans

Thursday 7/29/10

Etruscan Tumulus Tomb

It is hard to believe that tomorrow is the official “last day” of the program, although most of the participants will be staying through the weekend. We have formed close bonds and will really miss each other. Today we took a hired coach to Etruria, specifically Cerveteri and Tarquinia, to look at Etruscan tombs. The Etruscans were an ancient civilization that died out around the 6th Century B.C., about the same time the Romans came to power. Like the Egyptians, they tried to set up their burial sites with everything the deceased would need in the afterlife, so their artwork is valuable to modern historians. According to Roman historical legend, the Etruscans ruled Rome for a period ending in 510/509 B.C., so Etruscan civilization and culture had a strong influence on Rome in its formative years.

Let's have a look inside this Etruscan tomb!

 I was glad to see that the Italian government is now taking steps to protect the precious frescoes in Tarquinia. In the late 80s I could stand inside the tombs and look at the frescoes up close, even though the guides admitted the presence of visitors was bad for the paintings. Now the most important tombs have little buildings over them to protect them from rain and moisture seeping through. Inside the tombs is a plexiglass door so visitors can see the frescoes and take pictures of them—with no flash. Glad as I was to see them protected, I missed the experience of seeing them up close and personal. I have fond memories and am glad I could do that in my lifetime.

Some Etruscan Tombs in Tarquinia Contain Frescoes

While I was there I bought two more reproductions for my classroom: a terracotta oil lamp with Cupid on it and a bucchero vase with some figures incised on it. Bucchero was a type of black Etuscan pottery that was fired very hot. It has a shiny look so that you can almost mistake it for metal. The effect is deliberate: those who could not afford metal used pottery that looked like metal. I got a good buy: both small pieces for 17 Euros. The woman who sold them to me told me in Italian that she had some background in the Classics. I could understand some of what she was saying in Italian. We both agreed that Greek is difficult. She seemed to have a real respect for Etruscan culture and products and not just be at her stand to make a buck (although I'm sure that doesn't hurt). For more pictures from this trip, visit this set on Flickr.

 Don called tonight with the news that a very good friend of mine and her husband just split up. It was a complete shock to me. I had no idea it was coming. How sad! When I get back I'll have to get in touch with her. I was glad to have a chance to tell Don how much I miss him. It sounds like he is conscientiously working his tail off taking care of the dogs, our properties, and my bills while I'm gone. I owe him big time.

The National Endowment for the Humanities has earned my public appreciation for providing funding for this portion of my summer travels.

Tuesday and Wednesday in MD

The name of the N.E.H.-funded portion of our summer-study program was, "Houses of Gods and Mortals." Our group would be spending time in Italy studying temples as houses of the gods, the architectural remains of ancient houses, and tombs as houses of the dead. It made for a nice thematic unit.

Dr. Glenn R. Bugh, Virginia Tech

On Tuesday, June 29, 2010, Dr. Glenn R. Bugh of Virginia Tech presented a lecture on the archaeology of Roman Italy. The next day he lectured about the Etruscans, an ancient race to the north of Rome that declined in influence as Rome was coming to power. They eventually died out and their language along with them. We mostly know about them from their tombs and from what we can make out of their inscriptions. Dr. Bugh told us there are three types of these tombs:

• the Aedicula tomb, like a little house
• the Cassone tomb, like a box or coffin
• the Tumulus tomb, like a little hill with an entryway

In almost all cases, except Cassone, they were intended to be family tombs. There's a communal nature to the tombs and their use. The tombs are arranged in a necropolis, or city of the dead. There are whole streets of the dead in Etruria. I had visited these tombs in the 1980s. They were a favorite part of my summer study then, and I was looking forward to going back.

Mary Lou presents about graffitti

Although this was an N.E.H. Institute, the format was closer to an N.E.H. Summer Seminar. Participants were required to not only do research but to take on many of the lectures. I had the opportunity to be one of the first participant lecturers. My topic was about ancient Roman graffiti, which is mostly found in Pompeii. I gave an overview about what types of graffiti have been discovered and why we should study it. This presentation dovetailed nicely with Sr. Dougherty's, which followed. She had many more examples of graffiti for the group to study than I had in my rather brief but well-received presentation. To view it  on Google Docs, click here and download.

I would like to thank the folks at the National Endowmnent for the Humanities for making this portion of my trip possible.