The most famous of all the Etruscan monsters that have come down to us is the Chimera of Arezzo. >> So this is the Chimera of Arezzo, undoubtedly the most important piece of the Archaeological Museum in Florence. One reason is because it is the only large bronze of that age preserved intact until now, a great Etruscan bronze of course. It is entirely Etruscan and dates between the end of the fifth and the beginning of the fourth century B.C. This was part of a group which must have been completed by the figure of Bellerophon riding the horse Pegasus circling over the chimera before killing it. The goat's head is already fully reclined therefore this part of the animal is already dead. Because of a large wound oozing blood from the neck, and there are other wounds on its legs. Then this roar directed by the chimera towards its attacker probably is the ultimate defense against the one attacking it. The inscription is on the right leg and says "TINSCVIL" meaning, according to the most current reading, "Holy object dedicated to Tinia." >> The most popular image that is found on Etruscan sarcophagi, cinerary urns, and wall painting, and sometimes on pottery, is actually the journey to the underworld. And there is evidence that there was actually a multi-stage journey to the underworld that started with a banquet and then the demon would meet the deceased, take them to the underworld, they would maybe travel on a boat, maybe fight off a sea monster or some other demon that's scary. And then they would meet their ancestors at the gates to the City of the Dead where they would have another banquet with their ancestors. [MUSIC] >> We are in front of one of the late sarcophagi from the so this comes from Torre San Severo. And it has a series of very interesting images carved on this type of volcanic stone, which is the material that it is made out of. On both sides of the sarcophagus we have a winged figure of a female demon. She's holding in one hand a bearded snake and we can call her maybe a Vanth or a Lasa, and she's approaching, both of them are tending to the center of the sarcophagus, where we have a very well-built scene, which is not as Etruscan as the demons that were on both sides. This is more Greek connected because it is the sacrifice of the prisoners from Troy in honor of the deceased Patroclus, who was the cousin and lover of Achilles, who is performing the sacrifice right here in the middle. And the scene is very familiar with other things that we've seen. Also, it's truly alike the very famous Francois tomb where we have exactly the same painting and where the artists of the Etruscans added what, two demons on the back. So there was some kind of things that they could follow, the main theme, and then they were adding pieces that were more similar to what was their idea of the general integration of the scene. And as you see here, he is basically cutting the throat of this first prisoner, and Patroclus on the back with a bandage that keeps his jaw in place, he is already dead. And on the same sarcophagus but on the other side, we have again two demons on the far ends, male in this case, probably it's Tuchulcha or Charun, while in the middle we have another scene of sacrifice. It's probably that's been sacrificed this time, and Charun here is shown as usually as a bearded demon, pointed ears, big huge nose and again a snake in his hand but also his very regular weapon which is usually the hammer. It is with this hammer that basically he is sure that the souls, the deceased are really so, so they must be dead before he brings them to the underworld. [NOISE]
