The Etruscan World (Routledge Worlds)

• Adrian P. Harrison –

treasured when plundered or presented.” Moreover, as a result of the Persian invasion of
East Greece during the late sixth century bc, a number of immigrant artists made their
way to Etruria. A good small-scale example of the immigrant artist phenomenon is the
Swallows Painter, an Ionian vase painter who seems to have settled at Vulci (620–610 bc,
see Chapter 52), and provided the locals with drinking vessels executed in the distinctive
“Wild Goat” style of his homeland (see Chapters 48 and 52).

The Archaic period

As a result of the confl ict between the Etruscans and Phocaeans (circa 540 bc: Herodotus
1.165–6) some Phocaean prisoners were stoned to death near to Cerveteri. This action
ultimately led to a delegation of Etruscans travelling from Cerveteri to Delphi to consult
the oracle about atonement. Clearly this delegation of Etruscans would have been exposed to
the enormous display of sculpture and painting at Delphi, for example, the Naxian sphinx.
The overall evaluation of the popularity of Etruscan animal motifs spanning
approximately 600 bc to 480 bc: 85 items and 141 animal motifs are shown in Fig. 60.6.
During this period there is a slight revival in A II animal motifs which is at the expense
of B I, B III and C II animal motifs.
During the Archaic period the sudden interest in things exotic, which was observed
during the Orientalizing period, wanes and there is a loss of interest in wild animals as
popular motifs. Instead, the Etruscan peoples continue to be fascinated with, and set
considerable prestige on, mythical animals as decorative motifs for their possessions.

The Classical period

It is generally believed that due to some strong iconographic evidence that Etruscans,
from the late fourth century bc onwards, invented mythical prehistories for themselves
(Spivey 1997: 12). However, is this actually what the collated evidence indicates, or do
other animal motifs prevail?

10

AI AII BI BII BIII CI CII CIII DI DII DIII

20

30

% of Animal Motifs

Registered

40

50

60

Domesticated

Wild

Exotic

Mythical

Figure 60.6 Archaic period. A graphic presentation of some 85 items spanning the years 600–480 bc

depicting or representing animal motifs classifi ed as per Fig. 60.1.