Archaeology Lecture Etruscan Demons

Demons of the Etruscan Underworld

Professor Ili Nagy
University of Puget Sound

Demonic beings are common motifs of Etruscan funerary art. Most often they are shown as merely observing or accompanying the recently deceased. Only occasionally do they interact with humans. This ilustrated lecture examines the three most ubiquitous demons and their roles in the Etruscan funerary realm. Analysis of the variety of contexts in which these monsters appear reveals peculiarly Etruscan attitudes toward death and the deceased. A comparison of elaborate examples in tomb paintings or on sarcophagi of wealthy burials with the rudimentary figures of primarily symbolic nature that decorate the urns and mirrors of the less affluent reveals the importance of these beings across Etruscan society.

Ticket Information
FREE

Event Sponsor
LLEA/Archaeological Institute of America

More Information
Robert Littman, 956-4173, littman@hawaii.edu, http://www.lll.hawaii.edu/AIA/

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