- chapter 46: Music and musical instruments in Etruria –
of the lituus closely resembles that of the augural staff is probably the reason they bear the
same name in Latin. To distinguish the two, the musical instrument is sometimes called
trumpet-lituus in the scholarly literature.
The archaeological evidence for cornua consists of three relatively complete instruments
and a number of smaller fragments.^6 Two of the complete instruments are in the British
Museum in London and one is in the Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia in Rome
(Fig. 46.2). The two cornua in London were found in the tomb of the Vipinana family in
Tuscania where they were deposited probably sometime between the end of the^ fourth
century bce and the mid-second century bce, while the cornu in the Museo Nazionale
Etrusco di Villa Giulia does not have a known “fi ndspot.” It has recently been suggested
that both the instruments in London^7 and the one in Rome might consist of loose pieces
assembled after having been excavated.^8
Three complete litui from Etruria survive. One is in the collections of the Vatican
Museo Gregoriano Etrusco, a second has surfaced in the antiquities market and a third,
the only one with a secure fi nd context, was excavated in Tarquinia in the 1980s (Fig.
46.3).^9 The Tarquinia lituus was found in the middle of the ancient settlement in a
deposition dating to the early seventh century bce. The instrument had been folded up
before being deposited together with other bronzes in a pit in front of a building of sacred
character.^10
Figure 46.2 The cornu at Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia. Drawing by Peter Holmes.Figure 46.3 The Tarquinia lituus, fi rst quarter of the seventh century bce.
Courtesy of the Tarquinia excavations.