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THE ETRUSCAN SOCIETY AND ITS GEOGRAPHY 

As far as the Etrusacn settlements, they were concentrated above all in cental Italy, particularly in Tuscany.
Lawrence, the famous author who wrote “Lady Chatterly lover”, points to central Italy as the territory of this  interesting and fashinating society. In 1927 he visited the main Etruscan centres of Volterra, Vulci, Tarquinia and Cerveteri and he became so fashinated that he described them in many of his works.
However this population occupied other Italian areas too: Etruscan settlements seem to be present in Latium, Campania and in in the area near Bologne.     

CHARUN THE SYMBOL OF DEATH 

In “Guarnacci” museum, in Volterra, you can admire a wonderful Etruscan alabaster cinerary urn which dates back to the III century b.C. It is decorated with beautiful pictures wich depict Charon (Charun by the Etruscan society) surrounded by devils who bring him to the Hades. Charon is represented with an hooked nose, feral ears and wears a short tunic. Sometimes he has wings (with an eye on one of them) and holds an hammer or a sword. He is the symbol of death; holding the reins of his horse he is the guardian of the hell.
He also appears on “Anina” tomb in Tarquinia where Vanth faces Charun in front of the door which leads to the hell and on the “5636” tomb where Charun is sitting on a rock with his overturned hammer. The same picture is present on “Querciola II” tomb in Tarquinia.

THE "ETRUSCAN COAST" AND ITS MUSEUMS  

The Etruscan coast with its interesting museums is the ideal place for tourists who love art and want to discover the secrets and the fashinating history of this old society.
There are several museums and exhibitions in the area, one of the most interesting is “Villa "La Cinquantina"” in Cecina (LI), the host of a fantastic archaeological collection of art-treasures found in the coast.
“Principi Guerrieri” in “Villa la Cinquantina” (Cecina) is another interesting event for tourists: a wonderful exhibition which collects several works of art and shows the remains of the ancient necropolis. Here you can also admire two wonderful Etruscan statues which represent the oldest Etruscan imagines in full relief.
Those who visit the exhibition will become fashinated by the beauty of the “tomb A” and by the interesting history of the recently excavated “tomb G”.
Other important museums are: “Castiglioncello: 100 years of excavations” in Rosignano Marittimo which shows the history of a whole century (1896-1997), “Populonia-necropolis” in the archaeological park in Volterra, the Etruscan museum “Guarnacci” in Casale Marittimo, “Casalvecchio” in “La Ghinchia”, exhibition of ancient urns in Campo ai Ciottoli (Montecatini Val di Cecina), exhibition of ancient Roman tombs in Belora (Riparbella). Moreover in the town hall in Cecina (via Manzoni) you can visit the famous “Casaglia” tomb.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Those who want to know something more about the Etruscan society can consult the following texts: Pallottino, Etruscologia, Milano, 1984, M.Cristofani; Etruschi una nuova Immagine, Firenze, 1993, M.Cristofani; L’arte degli Etruschi, Firenze, 1978, M.Cristofani; Dizionario della Civiltà Etrusca, Firenze, 1985, M.Cristofani, Introduzione allo Studio dell’Etrusco, Firenze, 1991.

By Rico del Viva, university student who is specilizing in archaeology in Pisa.