Etruscan Warriors in Relief, Swords and Shields, Hand Colored Lithograph, 1842

This is an original antique lithograph with hand coloring from the Galleria Universale di Tutti i Popoli del Mondo (Venice, Giuseppe Antonelli, 1842). The upper image shows two arched stone stelae, each carved in low relief with a standing warrior holding a spear. The figure at the left, tinted pale buff, is bare chested with long hair and a short kilt; the figure at the right, tinted brown, is bearded and helmeted, and the slab is cracked across. Each stele carries a vertical inscription in Etruscan letters. Between them are two long swords, one held in a pink hand by a gilt hilt. The lower image shows four shields: a dark green round shield studded with rows of dots, a plain oval in green and gray seen from the back with two grips, a brown crescent shaped shield with curled ends, and a round pale blue shield decorated with an eight pointed star around a central boss.

The top margin is lettered "Tom: IV" at the left, "ITALIA" in the center and "Tav 38" at the right. Beside the swords is the lettering "Spade della maggior lunghezza" (swords of the greatest length). The caption under the upper image reads "Guerrieri Etruschi in basso rilievo" (Etruscan warriors in low relief) and the caption under the lower image reads "Scudi Etruschi" (Etruscan shields).

The Etruscans were the people of ancient Etruria in central Italy, roughly present-day Tuscany with parts of Lazio and Umbria, before Roman expansion absorbed them. Their alphabet derived from Greek and was usually written from right to left.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.