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 THE ETRUSCAN AND THE SEA  by Rico Del Viva 

The experience that the Etruscan society had of the sea is testified by several written and material sources.           The crater of Aristonothos from Caere (650 b.C) which shows the terrible crash between a Greek and an Etruscan ship is one of the most importan examples. Alsium, Pyrgi, Santa Marinella, Gravisca and Regisvilla are the biggest ports in Southern Etruria; Polulonia (the only Etruscan city on the sea) and Pisa (San Rocchino to the east of Viareggio) are the biggest ports in Northern Etruria

Studying the Etruscan trade we have discovered that this society bought, sold and exchanged several goods and services. The archaeological remains we have found are only a limited part of the wide range of the Etruscan trade. The first exchange dates back to the IX century b.C. even before the Greek colonization when the so-called “Villanoviana” Etruria had an open trade activity with Corsica and Sardinia; however it was an exchange of gifts among chiefs which can be hardly considered a real trade. This is the reason why we must not be surprised to find little Sardinian bronze statues in the Etruscan centres of Vulci, Tarquinia and Populonia. In the VIII century b.C. Etruria became one of the most prestigious trade pionts. It developed new technics and produced a lot of new goods. Greek merchants and craftsmen like Demarato, Eucheir, Eugrammos and Diopos came here. Greece and Etruria were two linked realities. In the VII century b.C. there was a good-exchange above all among rich men. In the interesting exhibition in “Villa la Cinquantina” (Cecina) you can admire and dicover several of these ancient products. Between 630 and 500 the Etruscan trade was improved by agricolture; people began to exchange wine and oil, whose importance is underlined by Esiodo in one of his famous works. Another fundamental resource was pottery: in this period there is a wide production of many different types of vases. Villard makes a distinction between vases exported only because of their value and those exchanged because of their containts (oil, wine, corn).
The remains of these fashinating vases are as important as the places they were found: they are fundamental elements to study the history of the old societies. In Southern France we have found Etruscan and Phoenician ships. Pointed amphorae were produced in Vulci and Caere where they were needed in the production of wine. One of the most important remains to analyze the range of the Etruscan trade was a Greek ship which dates back to the VI century b.C (580 b.C.). The ship went to Marsallia (Marsiglia, an ancient colony founded in 600 b.C.) and transported about 130 Etruscan amphorae, matals (copper and lead), luxury objects and many other things (an helm, some fish-hooks and a lance) which help to testify the personality of the captain. It left from Samo and stopped in Corinto which in this period was an important import-export centre. Another interesting remain is the Etruscan ship of Cap D’Antibes which probably left from Caere, the port in Pyrgy. Southern France was interested in the Greek and Etruscan trade. An important document, perhaps a commercial transaction found in Pecho Maho (Spain) testify it: on a lead leaf there are two inscriptions, an Etruscan and a Greek inscription. Etruscan goods reached Thyrrenian caosts and Balearic Islands too.   Not to mention the 20 amphorae of Bon Porte produced in Marsiglia which date back to the VII century. Here a list of the main Etruscan ports: Pyrgy in Caere. In the temple B you can visit the “house of amphorae”, a store of the VI century which contained above all imported goods: Punic and Corinthian amphorae. Gravisca in Tarquinia. Here you can admire an anchor with an inscription which testify Sostrato of Egina’s visit (480 b.C.). He thanks Apollo for the richness he has obtained with trade exchanges.
Regisvilla in Vulci. In the V century we have the decline of the Etrusca trade. In the battle of Cuma (474 b.C.) the Etruscan society was defeated by the Syracusan fleet. Only Populonia withstood this control.