If you have been to Villa Giulia (Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia) in Rome, you have likely encountered this glorious, slightly under life-sized terracotta head. She hails from about an hour northwest of Rome from Pyrgi (Cerveteri’s port), and was once part of the pedimental sculpture of one of the small 4th century temples
Prized for its luminous, warm glow, amber was something special in the ancient world. Rather than the flinty shine of polished gems, it appeared lit from within. What exactly amber was and where it came from was the subject of considerable consternation in the ancient world, ranging from fanciful (e.g. the tears of Apollo) to
When this little beauty caught my eye (as many shiny things do) in a showcase full of Etruscan gold, I did a double take. The head is only about 2 centimeters tall, representing the wild and woolly grand-daddy of all river gods Achelaos, known for his bushy beard, horned head, and bull’s body. A distinctive
Imperious is the first word that this extraordinary terracotta bust of Juno brings to mind. Now displayed at the Villa Giulia in Rome, she was found in a Falsiscan sanctuary at Celle, and dates to ca. 380 B.C. Sumptuously robed and crowned, the queen of the Olympian pantheon gazes somewhat down her aquiline nose at
Sprightly and powerful in profile, this dancer is a joy! All buoyant curves and sinuous lines, for a relatively small bronze (18.7 cm tall) there is a lot going on here, and a few unanswered questions… If something doesn’t seem quite ‘classical’ about her at first glance, that’s because she was produced in Etruria (modern