Etruscan architecture

Etruscan architecture was created between about 900 BC and 27 BC. The Etruscans built many important structures including temples, houses, tombs, city walls, bridges, and roads. Today, many of their stone tombs and walls still exist and give us clues about their skills and culture.

Around 630 BC, Etruscan architecture began to be influenced by Greek architecture. Later, the Etruscans also influenced the builders of ancient Rome. In the early days, Roman buildings were very similar to Etruscan ones, but later the Romans started looking more directly at Greek styles for their designs.

The biggest and most famous Etruscan buildings we know about today were homes for rich families, special big buildings whose purpose we are still unsure of, temples, city walls, and tombs carved from rock. Most of these structures were made from stone, which is why many have lasted until today.

Temples

The early Etruscans worshipped in open-air spaces rather than inside buildings. Around 600 BC, they began building large temples, likely inspired by the Greeks. These temples were usually made with stone bases and wooden upper parts, so not much survives today.

We know about these temples mostly from the writings of Vitruvius, a Roman architect who lived later. He described how to build a "Tuscan temple," which gives us clues about Etruscan designs. Archaeologists have found some pieces of terracotta decorations and small clay models of temples, which also help us understand how these buildings looked.

Etruscan temples were often brightly colored and decorated, especially on the roofs. They focused more on the front of the temple than the sides or back. Some had special columns and moldings that were different from Greek or Roman styles. One important Etruscan temple was dedicated to Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill in Rome, though it was later rebuilt in a Greek style after fires.

Monumental complexes

The term "monumental complex" describes a few large groups of buildings that were found by archaeologists. We are not sure what they were used for. Two famous examples are the Archaic building at Poggio Civitate and another at Acquarossa (Zone F); both date back to the 6th century BC or earlier. These buildings have rooms arranged around a central courtyard, with stone foundations, roof tiles, and special decorations made from clay. Because they are so big and old, they might have been homes for important leaders or places where people gathered and celebrated their community. Today, only the stone bases and pieces of clay remain for researchers to study.

Houses

The rich tombs of the Etruscans suggest that their elite lived in comfortable homes, but we know little about what these homes looked like. Some tomb paintings show furniture, and the rock-cut tomb rooms often have several "rooms," which may resemble the homes of wealthy Etruscans. Many Etruscan cities were built over by the Romans, so few houses remain.

We can learn about Etruscan houses from small clay or bronze models called "hut urns," which were used to hold ashes after cremation. These models show simple houses with one room, usually round or oval, with a sloping roof and a square door. Sometimes they have small windows and a hole in the roof for smoke. These houses were made from earth, mud bricks, and wooden frames, with stone hearths. Even wealthy Etruscans rarely lived in stone houses.

Tombs and tumuli

The Etruscans built many beautiful tombs for their dead, usually placed in special areas called necropolises outside their cities. These tombs were filled with special items like ceramics, which help us learn about their way of life. Some tombs were carved into the rock below the ground, while others were built above ground. Over time, families would use the same tomb for many generations, filling it with more items and sarcophagi.

Some tombs were shaped like small houses made of stone, while others were round mounds called tumuli with stone walls and steps leading down to rooms below. These tombs are packed closely together in places like Banditaccia and Monterozzi, which holds around 6,000 burials. Many tombs had paintings on the walls, showing scenes inspired by Greek art. Some tombs were even designed to look like homes, with many rooms, columns, and special ceilings.

Walls and fortifications

Etruscan cities, often built on hilltops, were protected by walls starting around the 8th century BC. These walls were first made from mud bricks and later from stone. Even before the Romans took over Etruscan lands, Italy faced many wars, with enemies like the Celtic people to the north and the growing power of Rome to the south. These walls often had a rampart and a ditch in front of them, and the towns had gates where roads entered, sometimes with arched entrances.

One of the best remaining examples is the Porta Marzia gate in Perugia, built in the 2nd century BC. The stonework of these walls was often very neat, using either regular rectangular blocks or large, fitted stones, similar to the famous Inca masonry but not quite as perfect. Smaller stones filled in the gaps between the larger blocks.

• Fiesole, town wall. Fairly regular blocks in courses

The 2nd-century Porta Marzia at [Perugia](/wiki/Perugia), its upper part built into a later wall

Polygonal masonry wall at [Rusellae](/wiki/Rusellae)

Road network

Many important roads built later by the Romans, like the Via Cassia, had earlier versions made by the Etruscans. These roads helped connect cities and reach farms in the countryside. Though not as fancy as Roman roads, Etruscan roads were well-built. Some main roads were very wide, up to 10.4 metres, and had special surfaces to let water drain away.

The Vie Cave are narrow paths cut deep into hills. They might have been used to protect places during wars. These paths were made over time by carts with iron wheels, which wore down the soft rock. Bridges were also built, but people often crossed rivers where it was easy to do so.