The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-01

sum up the great discoveries concerning
EtraScan art and civilization, which have
been made chiefly within the last half CEN
tury.
There was a time when the Etruycan Ian
guage was spoken in Rome and taught to
the children there. but it was gradually
forced out as too harsh for the trained Latin
ear.
Although our knowledge of the tongue is
confined to a few inscriptions and possibly
20 words, we sti1l know that it was by no
means as liquid or well developed as the
Latin tongue soon became, and In the battle
for supremacy the ittest survived. the
Etruscan being driven further and further
away, until 1t finally died out. almost yes
terday. in q small settlement In the Alps;
Yet the Etruscans are not dead; they live
In tombs of great magnificence and in WORKS
of art that compare favorably in many re-
S Pes T the art of Greece Remains of this
art have been found not only in that great
est Of Etruscan cities in Roman times. Veil
about eleven miles from Rome. but In the
ruins of the other eleven cities of the Etrus-
self self ''ieNe' M
ART OF THE PEOPLE.
After studying these remains We are ready
now to say something Of the religion, life
and art Of this interesting people
They called their gods cesar. Their Jupi-
was Menrfa. They were like, and yet I'M
like. the Roman deities, still controlling the
affairs Of men. There Is whole catalogue
of lesser divinities which need not be men,
toned here.
Their chronology goes back as far as the
Tenth Century b C.: yet they es, must have have
were Already civilized then and had emf
grated to Rome by that time. There is a
that tb certain Gpeek artf
taught the Etruscans their art.
We have Etruscan works Of art dating
from period earlier than this. as is Ger
Professor AiroH down at the bottom OF the
Forum.
It has been noted by students that there
are many Oriental characteristics In the
art of the Etruscans, distinguishing their
productions sharply from those Of the
the figures not so well proportioned as
those of the Greeks. but 1t is strong and
original nevertheless.
They worked in bronze and silver. having
silver mines in their own territory. which
they dug deep.
fluenced by Greek ideas after the Filth Cen
fury B. c., but there remained something
of their own in whatever they did
They were a powerful race. borrowing
where they pleased. from Greece. from
Phoenicia. from Egypt. but always assimi-
Iatns what they borrowed and making it
fond Of Jewels. of gold and silver. on which
they lavished infinite care and artistic
to-day so effective as the Etruscan. especi-
ally that dull gold. with its elaboate care
CARVED BEETLES ON GEMS.
II Egyptians could make scarabs.
Etruria too. could carve beetles on gems
and set them artistically in pins and brace
let's
The jewelers. were ingenious, too, and
made as beautiful serpent bracelets and
twisted pins as the designers Of our day.
The Etruscan natron of high degree had
metal mirrors far more beautiful in design
than anything We see in our shops. and as
her maidens attired their mistress she
might enjoy the study of the adventures Of
gods and goddesses depicted on the backs
of these mirrors
The old Etruscans. hard fighters though
they were in the time of Lars Porsena,
when Horatius held the bridge against
them. were still most luxurious people.
reclining at their banauets surrounded by
their women, in un-Grecian fashion, as
we know well from the vases and paintings
which have been found
They loved the good things Of life and
the beautiful things Fighting was good
In its time. but after the battle came the
triumph and the banquet. the feast and
Jewels for the fair dancers.