Etruscan Religion

A detailed Summary of Etruscan Religion

The Ancient Civilization of Etruria is one which is very mysterious. No theory is universally accepted as to the origins of Etruscan civilization, however there are many to choose from (Bloch, 51). One theory accepted by some is that of a famine which struck Lydia and forced some of the inhabitants to leave (Bloch, 51). Those who left built ships and sailed to the land of Umbria, and changed there names to honour the King who had led them to this land (Bloch, 52). These refugees, now called themselves Tyrrhenians which was translated to Tyrrhenoi by the Greeks (Bloch, 52). In this theory the Etruscans are thougt to have come from Lydia in Asia Minor (Bloch, 52). Some do not believe this theory to be true, due to the differences in language between the Lydians and the Etruscans, the difference in laws and the Gods they worshipped, and also physical traits (Bloch, 53). Another debate as to their origins is that they, "came from the north and were indo-european invaders" (Bloch, 53). However, this "does not stand up to the evidence of the facts" (Bloch, 53). The capital of anicient Etruria was Rome, and there were twelve tribes which greatly relied on this stronghold (Bloch, 116). With the rise of the Roman Empire in the mid

It is assumed that with women, the items which were buried with them were large safety pins (fibulas) for cloaks, and spindle whorls (Barker, 72). Buried with men were the fibulas, knives, and razors (Barker, 72). However, there was a difference in the fibulas in the two groups as they were shaped differently (Barker, 72). In some cemetaries in Etruria there is evidence of people being buried with kin, and also those of the same social group (Barker, 72). Wealthy or people of importance's tombs often had intricate carvings, and some were even plastered and painted (Barker, 234). The tombs of the poor were simple trenches cut out of the bedrock (Barkerm 234). "It was commonly assumed that the architecture and decoration of Etruscan cemetaries must echo domestic architecture as it can be seen with the similarity between the layout of tomb types and house plans" (Barker, 234).

The Etruscans cremate their dead, except infants, and placed the ashes in tombs (Barker, 123). The cremation cemetaries, had tomb groups which were mostly small, with five to fifteen cremations (Barker, 58). However, some tomb groups are known to have up to fifty burial (Barker, 58). Some Etruscan tombs were often decorated with cippi (low pillars) which were made out of local stone (Bloch, 58). Etruscans had many different burial arrangements, as some were in simple pits, others in stone cists, and some under mounds (Barker, 59). Most were buried in with one or two pots and metal items, but some were buried with nothing (Barker, 59). Changes in the settlement of Etruria were reflected in the size and formality of cemetaries (Barker, 70). "Major cities were surrounded by several cemetaries" (Barker, 70). Usually in most cemetaries, the earliest burials were on the summit of a hill as, "pits were cut into the bedrock and sometimes lined with stones, and the ashes were placed in a burial urn covered by an upturned bowl" (Barker, 70). Some burial plots were marked above ground by gravestones, but this was not done very frequently (Barker, 70).

The Etruscan people believed that the dead lived on after death and may have become the subject of ancestor worship (Ba

Some common words found in the essay are:
Goddess Fortune, Jupiter Bloch, Hades Barker, Haruspices Bloch, League Bloch, Civilization Etruria, Juno MinervaBloch, Lydians Etruscans, City Bloch, Babylonian Barker, bloch 152, barker 70, bloch 143, barker 72, bloch 154, bloch 53, bloch 58, barker 228, etruscan civilization, bloch 52, cemetaries barker 70,

Approximate Word count = 1461
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Religion