Etruscan Architecture

Abstract

The study of Etruscan architecture suffers greatly in comparison with its Greek and Roman counterparts because of the building materials used. Whereas Greek temples, such as the Parthenon in Athens, and Roman public buildings, such as the immense bath complex of Caracalla in Rome, immediately catch the attention and admiration of students and travelers, Etruscan architectural remains consist for the most part of underground tombs, foundation walls, models of huts and houses, and fragments of terracotta roof decoration. At the same time, thanks to the description by the Roman architectural historian Vitruvius (Ten Books on Architecture 4.7.1–4), the proportions and layout of the so-called Tuscan temple are well known and have been much admired and studied during the Renaissance and later. The perception of Etruscan architecture has, however, changed much since the advent of large-scale excavations in the late 19th century, and since the 1950s new evidence has produced important results for our understanding of the architectural traditions in ancient Italy.

An Incised Template of an Archıtectural Postament from Cibyra

“…29 . The continuity and reflections of knowledge, culture, aesthetics and technology in the Greek and Roman periods are evident in all cities, 30 with the influence of Classicism in Italy even after centuries, at the heart of the Renaissance, and with this same consequence: A simple postament drawing which is similar to Cibyra find, consisting of two plinths and a cyma reversa was found at the Franciscan Church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli in Rome, and its section dates from the XVI th century A.D. 31 .…”

“…Coulton emphasized the simplicity of design during the Roman period through this tradition and he says that "any architect who knows basic Greek architecture can easily design according to Vitruvius's rule of proportions" 20 . The builders, who take these rules as their guideline, formed their own models and plans with hand and eye skills by making their own arrangements according to the location, material and tools of the building 21 . In the Roman period, simple plans, those which Vitruvius called in Greek schemata, in Latin formae 22 which do not require much detail were sometimes prepared, as a record for legal reasons 23 , and were widely used by architects.…”