A genetic study of DNA extracted from ancient skeletons appears that the Etruscans, a sophisticated pre-Roman civilization in central Italy, were of local stock and not migrants from the Near East. (Science Advances Vol. 7, NO. 39)
The Etruscans were a powerful clan with an alien tongue and strange customs. They emerged in what is now central Italy sometime around the 6th century BC. The Etruscan people populated a large region in what is now Tuscany and Lombardy in Italy.
The Etruscans were dark-skinned people and their settlement predate ancient Roman and Greek civilizations; it greatly influenced the culture of Rome.
The Etruscan cities were independent city-states linked to each other only by a common religion, language, and culture in general. The major Etruscan cities included Cerveteri (Cisra), Chiusi (Clevsin), Populonia (Puplona), Tarquinia (Tarchuna), Veii (Vei), Vetulonia (Vetluna), and Vulci (Velch).
The Etruscans are perhaps best known for their sprawling necropoleis, where they buried their dead in tombs decorated with spectacular frescoes, delicately sculpted sarcophagi and elaborate metalwork.
The Etruscans were the first kings of Rome and were hugely influential on the Romans. They passed along elements of Greek civilization — like the invention of alphabetic writing. The Etruscans had a unique language and were known to be great artists and craftsmen.
During their height, the Etruscans built an economy based on agriculture, mining natural minerals, and trade with Carthage and Greece. They erected dwellings on steep hills and built thick walls around them for protection.
Etruscan people
