ETRUSCAN GOLD COIN -- ARTEFACTS SERIES, NO. 3

It is not easy to photograph gold, a great hardship. Haha. The glare is incredible. I did this in available light eventually.

The Etruscans are a mysterious people and little is known about them, much the same as with the Picts in Scotland. The Etruscans inhabited the area now known as Tuscany, which is named after them, until the Romans assimilated them in the first Century B.C. The first date evidence is 700 B.C. but they were around earlier than that without doubt. Few artefacts remain. The Romans probably looted their graves. From those art works that do remain, it is indicated that men and women held equal status and that they were very fine craftsmen.

I once visited a Roman site, which was riveting, but outside the remains of the Roman wall there were the remains of an Etruscan wall. The masonry was very superior.

The story behind the gold object above is this: a man we know, now retired, had occasion to be on many building sites, plus which he was a keen amateur archaeologist. Imagine the thrill of coming upon an Etruscan gold coin. They are extremely rare. He was not allowed to keep it, of course, and had to turn it over to the Italian authorities. He was, however, allowed ten copies. I believe they were his reward. This is one of those copies and I am very thrilled to have it.

Etruscan coins were struck on one side, only. This one has a sea horse, dolphins and unknown symbols. The original coin was worn down and this one echos the condition. It is 1 3/4 cm across, 3/4 of an inch. I never have occasion to wear jewelry, but I had this put onto a chain and do wear it from time to time.

Weather note for the record: Dark and wet again today. Several mountain villages to the north of us have been cut off due to mud slides that took away the roads.