Striking similarities in Etruscan and Anatolian material culture reveal various forms of contact and exchange between these regions on opposite sides of the Mediterranean. This is the first comprehensive investigation of these connections, approaching both cultures as agents of artistic exchange rather than as side characters in a Greek-focused narrative. It synthesizes a wide range of material evidence from c. 800 – 300 BCE, from tomb architecture and furniture to painted vases, terracotta reliefs, and magic amulets. By identifying shared practices, common visual language, and movements of objects and artisans (from both east to west and west to east), it illuminates many varied threads of the interconnected ancient Mediterranean fabric. Rather than trying to account for the similarities with any one, overarching theory, this volume presents multiple, simultaneous modes and implications of connectivity while also recognizing the distinct local identities expressed through shared artistic and cultural traditions.

‘… the chapters of the book draw before our eyes a vivid picture of the Mediterranean. The meticulous investigation and in-depth analysis of material evidence with a critical approach opens a new course for future research. In the end, the volume underlines the importance of further investigation and re-interpretation of material contexts for defining the cultural interaction between Etruria and Anatolia. ’

Elif Koparal Source: Bryn Mawr Classical Review