The World of the Etruscans: In Their Time and In Our Time

The Etruscans, Italy’s first great civilization, shaped Rome’s rise and influenced Western culture. Their legacy, preserved in collections across Italy, the U.S., and museums worldwide, includes innovations in engineering, architecture, and religion. Emerging around 3,000 BCE, the Etruscan’s contributions—from advanced water systems and aqueducts to their rich pantheon and beliefs in the afterlife—profoundly impacted Rome and later the Renaissance, leaving a lasting mark on Western art and thought.