Etruscan and Roman Art and Architecture

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to Etruscan and Roman art, architecture, and funerary practices.

Banditaccia Necropolis at Cerveteri

• Tumuli: burial mounds signifying:
  
  

  • Wealth accumulation via trade
    
    

  • Cross-cultural interaction
    
    

  • Emphasis on family lineage (used for generations)
    
    

  • Visible in landscapes, signs of conscious consumption
    
    

  • Made of tufa (volcanic rock)
    
    

  • Transitioned to cube tombs over time
    
    

Cube Tombs in Cerveteri

• Carved into hillsides
  
  

• Reflected economic advancement, social stratification
  
  

Indicated population growth and urban expansion

Regolini-Galassi Tomb (700–600 BCE)

• Reflects early Etruscan expansion
  
  

• Features: dromos, vaulted ceilings, house-like design
  
  

• Inhumation and cremation
  
  

• Rich grave goods: bronze beds, chariot (ekphora), silver bowls, gold fibula
  
  

• Advanced metalworking: granulation, filigree, Egyptian & Eastern motifs (lions, birds, water symbols)
  
  

• Women buried with jewelry, honored in death → status of women
  
  

• Cross-cultural exchange evident in imported grave goods
  
  

Illustrates belief in afterlife and family reputation

Regolini-Galassi Tomb Fibula

• Featured a gold fibula, a pin used to hold garnet.

• Craftsmanship Techniques:

  • Repousse: technique involving pounding metal to create a design.

  • Filigree: use of delicate threads of gold for decorative purposes.

  • Granulation: creation of small bead-like pieces of gold.

Tomb of the Shields and Chairs

• Represents transition from tumuli to house-like tombs
  
  

• Roof beams carved to mimic homes
  
  

• Terracotta statues show ancestor veneration, funerary dining
  
  

Merges living and dead, ritualized remembrance

Tomb of Leopards, Tarquinia (c. 480 BCE)

• Also shows a symposium
  
  

• Symbol of rebirth and fertility (egg)
  
  

Women shown with light skin tone; participating → high female status

Tomb of Augurs, Tarquinia (c. 520 BCE)

• Scenes depicting augury, the practice of interpreting bird behavior to predict the future.

Features elements of funerary games in honor of the deceased:

• Wrestling competitions presided over by a gamesmaster with a staff known as a lituus, a symbol of command.

• Phersu, a masked character, possibly indicating a bloodsport involving gladiatorial competition; often involved prisoner-of-war participants.

Late Archaic Rome (6th Century BCE)

• Key architectural developments include:

  • The Forum: central public space for civic activities.

  • Temples of Jupiter Optimus Maximus: significant religious site.

  • Circus Maximus: arena hosting chariot racing and public spectacles.

Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus (c. 550-500 BCE)

• Located on the Capitoline Hill.

Significant features include:

• Triple cella dedicated to Juno, Jupiter, and Minerva.

• Etruscan style: stairs exclusively in the front, in contrast to earlier architectural forms.

• Decorated ridgepole with figures.

• Aegean-style terracotta roofing.

Etruscan Temple (c. 500 BCE)

• Influenced by Vitruvius's architectural principles.

Distinctive design features:

• Statues placed atop the temple to draw the viewer's gaze upward.

• A departure from traditional Greek temple structures.

• Use of Tuscan columns, showcasing a blend of cultural influences.

• Votive offerings typically placed in the temple.

Lapis Niger (6th Century BCE)

• Comprising a rectangular stele with inscriptions on all sides.

• Served as a monument with ties to royal authority and legitimacy.

• Historical significance linked to the kingship transition in Rome:

  • Covered and preserved, likely due to changing political sentiments.

  • Brutus and others lead the movement away from monarchy.

Forum Romanum, Republican Period

• Key components:

  • Curia/Curia: Senate meeting hall.

  • Comitium: Open space for popular assemblies.

  • Temple of Saturn (497 BCE): Public treasury location; father of Jupiter.

  • Temple of Castor: Dedicated to the twin sons of Jupiter, connected to military tradition.

  • Temple of Vesta: House for the vestal virgins, maintaining sacred fire.

  • Regia: Meeting place for high-ranking priests and custodians of religious archives.

City Plan of Cosa (2nd Century BCE)

• Defensive city wall constructed around the perimeter made from cement.

• Innovations in building materials leading to stronger, waterproof structures.

• Architectural solutions presumably emulating Roman urban design.

Sanctuary of Fortuna, Praeneste (Late 2nd Century BCE)

• Comprises an open courtyard enclosed by structures.

• Features innovative use of concrete, enhancing dramatic effect of the space.

Typical Roman House (3rd Century BCE)

• Architectural layout promotes visibility through the atrium, showcasing parts of the house.

• Contains:

  • Cubiculum: Small private room.

  • Atrium: Central space where family gathered, adding a sense of passage and proportion.

House of the Faun (Early 2nd Century BCE)

• Integrated neighboring properties into a large residence.

• Divided into:

  • Public display areas.

  • Private family quarters, including areas for individual prayer.

• Features Corinthian columns and landscaped garden

Alexander Mosaic, Pompeii (1st Century BCE)

• Illustration of Alexander the Great battling King Darius of Persia.

• Epic narrative: Alexander refuses the king's offer for peace through marriage.

• Mosaic construction involved meticulous color-matching and placement of individual pieces.

• Reflects Roman values: pride, heroism, and strength.

Second Pompeian Style Wall Painting (c. 50-40 BCE)

• Exemplifies luxury influenced by Greek culture.

• Use of illusionistic techniques to enhance depth and spatial perception.

Temple of Vesta, Rome (Mid-2nd Century BCE)

• Symbolized success and communal remembrance of victories.

• Implemented Corinthian column architecture and imported Greek marbles, indicative of cultural appropriation and conquest.

• Such architectural grandeur emphasized Rome's ambitious imperial identity and