I've said it before, and I'll say it again: man, Italy is OLD. Like, it gives me a whole new perspective on old. As in, when the tour guide says something along the lines of "so this part is from the Renaissance" I'm like "eh, not impressive."
There are just layers upon layers of history in this country, all dating back to the Etruscans. Who were the Etruscans, you ask? Italian inhabitants dating back to the 6th century. BC. And even earlier...
This week, Pilgrims class took off on a journey back in time to explore some of what life was like for the Etruscans - or perhaps more accurately, their death.
That's right, I got to go in some ancient tombs!!! Crazy experience - and an awful lot of stairs climbing up and down. But totally worth it, I mean look at this! It's incredible to wrap my mind around the fact that two and a half millennia ago, these tombs were commissioned by the aristocratic class of the Etruscans.
In some ways, they remind me a bit of what I've learned about ancient Egyptian culture. Burial was a cherished part of their life and essential to move on to the afterlife. There were doors painted in a lot of the tombs so that the deceased could pass through. And vibrant frescoes like the ones above depict what their lives were like.
Ironic that the place of their death offers such a glimpse into their lives, but it's fascinating to imagine what it was like back then. There's lots of feasting, hunting, and celebration. The Etruscans seem to have really valued art, food, and beauty. And, women seem to have been treated more equally in society than other ancient cultures - Etruscan feminism for the win ;)
Along with visiting the Necropolis with the graves, we trekked through the Etruscan museum of Tarquinia, taking in the artifacts that remain from the period. Many times, the Etruscans were buried with a LOT of possessions, so there was quite a bit to see!!! My favorite is definitely the pottery, if the photos below didn't already tell you that...
I mean look how ornate this stuff is! Something as simple as pottery for the kitchen is just absolutely exquisite. And, I think it's pretty cool that you can see what the Etruscans valued from even these few snapshots. There's lots of detail and artistry that goes into everything. And take a look at that sarcophagus! They would actually have those made to resemble the person lounging at their finest, as though at a banquet, to adorn their final resting place.
Sadly, there is a limited amount of information known about the Etruscans, but maybe that makes the mystery all the more intriguing. It's crazy to me to study a culture whisked away into history before Christ was even born. How surreal and utterly delightful...
Italy might be pretty darn old, but visiting this amazing country never is ;).