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Etruscans: Language
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Among theories about the Etruscans' origins are the possibilities that they migrated from Greece, or from somewhere beyond Greece. Perhaps they traveled down from the Alps. Or, as their pre-Indo-European language might suggest, they may have been a people indiginous to today's Tuscany who suddenly acquired the tools for rapid development. The uncertainty is held unresolved.
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The language of the Etruscans neither proves nor disproves the notion of an autocthonous origin, but it is often mentioned in the discussions. Etruscan, which has over 10,000 inscriptions and short texts, has been concluded to be to a non-Indo-European language unrelated to any other known language, except for the stele in Lemnos.[17] Any number of scenarios can be construed to explain how the Etruscans immigrated into Italy or have been there since pre-historic times... language does not necessarily advance this discussion.
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The people are usually called 'Etruscans' only after 700 BC, when their language was first written. Twelve city-states were established, which were loosely allied in a league and bonded by language and religion. In early times, the cities were ruled by kings but by about 500 BC power was generally held by magistrates drawn from the aristocratic class.
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The articles in the press keep mentioning the Etruscans coming from Lydia. Lydian was an indo-european language. So, although there may be a linguistic link to Lemnos and a genetic link to Western Asia, there is no obvious link to Lydia and the classical accounts of the origins of the Etruscans.
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Because little Etruscan literature remains and the language of inscriptions on their monuments has been only partially deciphered, scholars have gained most of their knowledge of the Etruscans from studying the remains of their city walls, houses, monuments, and tombs. Weapons and other implements, exquisite jewelry, coins, statues of stone, bronze, and terra-cotta, and black pottery (called bucchero) have been found. Grecian and Oriental influences are seen in this art.
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Macnamara (British Museum) traces the rise and fall of the Etruscans and describes their language, religion, government, economy, dress, and leisure activities. The book is illustrated with photographs and drawings of Etruscan sites and objects from the British Museum collections. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.From Book News, Inc. , August 1, 1991
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