- chapter 60: Animals in the Etruscan household –
of Populonia and Monte Argentario, above Orbetello, two lookout points from which the
arrival of fresh shoals of fi sh could have been observed. Furthermore, Pyrgi, the port of Caere
(Cerveteri) was famous for its fi sheries. It is also documented that the Etruscans stocked
the lakes of Bracciano, Bolsena and Vico with carp, sea-dace and other salt-water fi sh that
were capable of adjusting to the fresh water environment (Strabo 5.2.6; cited in Heurgon
1961: 122). In this way they could catch fresh fi sh at sea when the weather permitted, but
also draw on farmed stocks when the seas prevented them from using their fi shing craft.
Etruscan representative art includes aquatic species, many of which are so clearly drawn
as to be identifi able. An oinochoe found at Tarquinia (Pittore delle Palme, circa 700
bc) depicts a number of tuna swimming to the right (Museo Archeologico Nazionale,
Tarquinia: Martelli et al. 1987: 78 no. 23). Likewise, part of a terracotta sarcophagus
found at Tuscania circa 200 bc depicts in clear relief a dolphin (Museo Archeologico
Nazionale, Florence: Gentili 1994: pl. 22 no. A45). The large vase by Aristonothos, from
Cerveteri (circa 650 bc), depicts a naval battle, but in the sea around the two ships are
clear motifs of fi sh, an octopus and a turtle (Louvre, Paris: see Fig. 40.8). Then fi nally,
there is the Etruscan fi sh plate found in Monte Abatone tomb 264 (circa 400–300 bc)
that clearly depicts all sorts of fi sh, an octopus (possibly a squid) and most interestingly,
a fl at fi sh (Museo Nazionale Cerite: Martelli et al. 1987: no. 154).
In the amphibian world, frogs are very often depicted in Etruscan art, more often
than not as part of the support for an item (see Fig. 60.2t = GR 1849.5–18.21; British
Museum), for example, take the cista in bronze to be found at Villa Giulia, Rome, that
was discovered at Palestrina (circa 350 bc), depicting a horse-drawn chariot engraved
on the body of the cista, whilst the feet are those of a lion, resting on a frog. Likewise,
there is the bronze tripod depicting two satyrs that was found at Vulci (circa 490–470
bc) that has feet in the form of lion’s paws resting on a frog. In each case the frog looks
for all the world like a South American poison dart frog, but in fact a native frog with
exactly the same features can still be found in Italy. The Italian stream frog (Rana italica),
which inhabits rivers, swamps and freshwater marshes, although it is today seen as being
threatened, very closely resembles the Etruscan images for this species. It is particularly
interesting that animal motifs depicted on Etruscan tripods very often follow a pattern,
namely an airborne species at the top, a terrestrial species in the middle and an aquatic/
amphibian species for the feet, for example, dove, lion, frog/dolphin (see Fig. 60.2i
= GR 1873.8–20.211; British Museum). Although it is tempting to read too much
into this, perhaps they symbolize the Etruscan understanding of the world, the lion or
terrestrial species representing their mortal time on Earth, the dove or bird representing
the heavens/World of the Gods, and the amphibian or aquatic species symbolizing the
connection with the underworld and the tomb (see Fig. 60.9).
EXOTIC ANIMALSGradually, Etruscan representative art began to include more exotic animal motifs,
species that were not native to Italy, but that had been imported, or had been described
or depicted on traded items.
The lion is the king of the animals and sometimes a replacement for the wolf and the
chimera. It was the main symbol of royalty, but also of supreme force and power. One
of the most famous examples of this form of representative art must be the gilded silver
bowl from Cerveteri circa 650 bc, which was found in the Regolini-Galassi tomb (Vatican