- chapter 42: The world of Etruscan textiles –
used to dye fi ber green or yellow and nettle yellow-green or grey-green. Lichens produce
brown, yellow and purple shades. The most expensive dye of antiquity, royal or shellfi sh
purple has recently been identifi ed in textiles from three Hellenistic period burials at
Strozzacapponi, Perugia.^30 This is the fi rst direct evidence for the use of purple in Etruria
as seen in stripes and decorations on dresses such as those depicted on the images of the
women of the Seianti family from second-century bce Chiusi.^31
ETRUSCAN TEXTILESThe resulting textiles and items made out of them are illustrated not only by the rich
Etruscan iconographic sources but also by the archaeological remains. The vast majority
of Etruscan textiles have been recovered from burials in Italy. One important exception
is represented by the fragments of an Etruscan linen book, which was taken to Egypt
sometime during the Hellenistic period and survived in the dry Egyptian climate because
it was torn into strips and used as mummy wrappings.^32
Etruscan textiles survive in either original organic, charred or, most frequently,
mineralized state. The largest groups of textile remains still in their organic shape
have been excavated at Verucchio^33 and at Sasso di Furbara.^34 Other fi nds come from
Casale Marittimo and Cogion-Coste di Manone (Fig. 42.9).^35 Mineralized textiles are
formations in which either metal corrosion products or calcium salts form casts around
fi bers retaining their external morphology and size almost unaltered (Fig. 42.10).^36 Even
minute traces can provide a considerable amount of information about ancient textiles.
Textiles preserved in association with metal objects are known from Bologna, Chiusi,
Chianciano, Veii, Vulci, Tarquinia, Casale Marittimo, Murlo and numerous other sites.^37
The surviving textiles demonstrate that Etruscans were familiar with diverse fi bers,
dyes and sophisticated weaving techniques. A variety of techniques were used to create
textiles, including loom weaving, tablet weaving, soumak and some type of twining. The
basic weaves include a variety of tabbies and twills.^38 Although regarded as an Iron Age
feature of textile technology, twill developed during the Bronze Age and by the Early
Iron Age complex twills are ubiquitous throughout Europe. The sophistication of twills
from Verucchio and Sasso di Furbara points to a well-established and settled technology.
Figure 42.9 Textile fragment from Cogion-Coste di Manone, fourth century bce © University of
Pennsylvania Museum, reproduced with permission.