Etruscan architecture developed between about 900 BC and 27 BC, when the expanding civilization of ancient Rome finally absorbed Etruscan civilization. Temples, houses, tombs, city walls, bridges, and roads were all part of this building tradition.
What structures survive from Etruscan architecture today?
Tombs and city walls are the only Etruscan structures that survive in quantity in anything close to their original condition. Temples and houses relied heavily on wood and mud-brick above a stone base, so far less of them remains for archaeologists to study.
Who wrote the main ancient account of Etruscan temple design?
Vitruvius, who died sometime after 15 BC, wrote the only significant ancient account of Etruscan temple architecture, describing how to plan a Tuscan temple. He was writing roughly two centuries after Rome had absorbed Etruscan civilization, so his account may reflect a later Roman version of Etruscan-style building rather than a historically exact record.
What was the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus?
The Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on Rome's Capitoline Hill was the oldest large temple in Rome, dedicated to the Capitoline Triad of Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. Its first version was traditionally dedicated in 509 BC, destroyed by fire in 83 BC, and rebuilt in Greek style by 69 BC.
How large was the largest Etruscan temple?
The first Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus is the largest Etruscan temple on record, with one estimate based on an ancient visitor's account putting it at nearly 60 by 60 meters. That size was not far short of the largest Greek temples and much larger than other Roman temples for centuries afterward.
What are Etruscan hut urns used for?
Etruscan hut urns are pottery, and sometimes bronze, house-shaped models used to hold cremated ashes. They are found in the Etruscan Iron Age Villanovan culture and early burials, especially in northern areas, and typically show a single round or oval room with V-shaped roof beam projections.