Re: Tumulus Tombs

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Board: Etruria
Topic: Origins of the Etruscans 
Topic Editor: Nesnut Hatshepsut
Topic Description: The origin of the Etruscans...

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Message: Re: Tumulus Tombs
Author: Lauchum - Camitlnas Tullius, Patron 
Date: Jun 13, 2000 20:33
      Just a brief (?) comment on Tumulus Tombs. According to the general 
      sources I have read, Tumulus tombs were widespread. As well as being found 
      in Etruria, they have been found in parts of Turkey, including the ancient 
      Lydia which Heroditus refers to as the original home of the Etruscans. 

      They are also common among the Scythians of Ukraine, another very 
      prosperous race of people who traded extensively with the Mycenians. I 
      have even seen some web pages which draw parallels between the Scythians 
      and the Etruscans. 

      My own leaning is towards the origins of the Etruscans in Lydia. The later 
      (Classical)arguments that Lydia did not share the same language, and 
      therefore could not have been connected with the origins of the Etruscans  
      does not hold water, since there was considerable migration and influx of 
      peoples from the East towards the end of the second millennium BCE (The 
      fall of Troy for example is thought to have been around 1250 BCE)  

      Linguistically I would argue that with current evidence we can't even say 
      if the Etruscans brought their language with them from Lydia. 

      Taking the analogy of the Normans, it was English which survived in 
      England after the conquest and not Norman French. If we believe that only 
      a few Lydians infiltrated Villanovan society and steered it towards 
      civilisation, then is it not reasonable to believe that they would have 
      adopted the language of the Villanovans ? 

      The Lemnos inscriptions may be put forward as an argument that the 
      Etruscan language spread from Lydia, but this has been dated at around 
      600BCE. Having examined this text, there are obvious similarities with the 
      Alphabets, but the linguistic connections are less solid. Some of the 
      graffiti found around the area is more obviously Etruscan. Nevertheless 
      the question remains- Was Lemnos a staging post for the Etruscan on their 
      way to Etruria, or was it a colony of Etruria, established after the 
      establishment of Etruria itself. 

      There is also the connection of the Pelasgians, or sea peoples. Where do 
      they fit in with this? There is suggestions that they consisted of a 
      mixture of peoples, analogous to the Barbary coast pirates. 

      In summary I have presented a few (hopefully provocative) thoughts for 
      discussion. 

      I have no strong belief either way as to the origins of the language, but 
      we need to question even the basic assumptions before we can make 
      progress. 













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