The war of the etruscans
...he Etruscans used bronze casting like the Greeks with the lost wax method. The Etruscans took ideas from Greek art and adopted them. After they had an idea they adapted it to there own taste much like the Romans did with Greek art. (Adams, 195) Archaeological finds in Spina were a suggestion that there was a great desire for vases from Athens. There were a large number of Greek vases being brought into Etruria, not only in large amounts but in extra-large size. Spina was a center of production of Etruscan goods; also, this is where the imitation of Greek art took place. Spina was known for its large selection of pottery and Greek goods. Greek traders settled in Spina, and instructions were given to them, then the Etruscans would sell the products to the Celtics. (Knopf, 182) The Etruscans had outside influences by Greece and Rome. One of the major sources of information about Etruscan art comes from the tombs. Reference of the impact of Hellenic models was used to understand Etruscan art. Within estruscological research difficulties were encountered when certain bronzes were found in Etruria and were not known to be considered as Etruscan works of art or Greek ones. Many debates arise about the famous bronze, Arezzo Chimaera. There were many misconceptions about Etruscan art because of the lack of knowledge about Hellenic art and Tuscan production. Large numbers of Greek imported vases were found in Etruscan tombs. Scholars believe than the collection of Greek vases found emerging from the soil of Tuscany was Etruscan. The majority of the vases found in Etruscan tombs and in the soil of Campania and Sicily was Greek not Etruscan. (Bloch, 114) Several volumes by Giovanni Battista Passeri entitled Picturae Etruscorum in Vasculis Primum in Unum Collectae were descriptions of a collection of italic and Greek vases that were found in Naples. Today the collection was passed to the Vatican library and is considered an extremely rich collection of painted vases in the Gregorian and Etruscan museums. Passeri believed that the subjects represented on the vases were connected with the funerary beliefs of the Etruscans. He believed that they were imported from Greece but were Etruscan products by the subjects represented. It is said that many Etruscan ideas about sculpture were taken from Greece. They would go across the sea to bring back vases they brought back a Greek sculptor or took prototypes from there, then adapted it to Etruscan taste. An architectural sculpture found in the sanctuary of Hera was found and it confirmed that the art itself was Greek but the appearance was quite Etruscan. This is proof of the influence that Greek ideas had on Etruscan art; it is not saying that they are the same but that Greek art has an Etruscan twist to it. They did not use the same material, such as marble. Although the Etruscans had marble available to them in Luna in Etruria, they were not interested in it like the Greeks were. There are no finds of marble pieces in Etruscan finds. The Etruscans were loyal to ancient materials such as wood and temples made of painted terra- cotta. (Etruscan Culture, Land and the people, 364) New cities in Etruria were growing and trade was having a huge impact on the economy. Imports came from all over the Mediterranean and goods swamped the ports of Caera. These goods were brought from Greek traders. The ships carried everything from ivory to ostrich eggs. One of the goods that were brought to Etruria was oil in red terra-cotta jars, pottery and perfume and gorgeous Corinthian vases from Athens. The workshops were producing market goods and also goods to be exported. Greek potters were employed for the production of painted water jars, called Caeretan hydriae. Most of the jars had painted scenes of Greek myths. A Greek artist named Demaratus settled in Tarquinii and also brought three other artists with him. Along with the Carthaginians, the Greeks and Etruscans were trading partners. Etruria had a close relationship with Syracuse (who handled the import...