Etruscans Now
Architecture
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Ingrid Edlund-Berry - University of Texas at Austin
Traditional and Radical Views on Etruscan architecture: current research
New discoveries have increased our knowledge of Etruscan architecture, but also brought out the complexity of the field. Etruscan architectural forms continue to be compared to Greek and Near Eastern models, while similarities between Etruscan traditions and those found in Latium and central Italy leave the question of origin open. This paper will review the current evidence in the context of the interpretation by L.T. Shoe (ERRM,1965; re-issue by Shoe and Edlund-Berry 2002). As shown by recent evidence from Etruria and elsewhere, the Etruscan architectural tradition needs to be evaluated in its own terms, where local expressions in the use of mouldings and other forms override any borrowings from the "outside".