You may be wondering… WHY ETRUSCAN?

The mysterious Etruscans, of what is now Tuscany, were a fascinating people, with a unique language. Archaeologists argue about where they came from ….probably the Near East. Because they loved life, their artwork was superbly naturalistic. They buried their dead in tomb chambers painted with lively scenes of banquets, of dancers & musicians, of birds & beasts & olive trees. Unlike most peoples of that era, the Etruscans held women in high esteem. Many Etruscan women were wealthy, business owners in their own right. A few years ago Alison discovered that her DNA is almost 10% Etruscan.

WHY SMUG?

Etruscan ships plied the Mediterranean Sea, buying & selling & trading, in direct competition with the Greeks, whose empire was in decline. The Etruscans were clever traders, more clever sometimes than their rivals the Greeks, who called them “smug & oily.” That’s okay, we love our extra virgin olive oil, the cloudier & greener the better. The Greeks also disliked the powerful status of Etruscan women.