Previous articleNext article FreeBook ReviewArchitecture in Ancient Central Italy: Connections in Etruscan and Early Roman Building Edited by Charlotte R. Potts (British School at Rome Studies). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2022. Pp. 204. ISBN 978-1-108-84528-1 (hardcover) £75.Niccolò MugnaiNiccolò MugnaiUniversity of Oxford Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailQR Code SectionsMoreExploring matters of connectivity and cultural exchanges has become a key part of studies of the ancient world, whether these deal with specific types of material culture (especially pottery) or with topics such as urbanism and architecture. In this volume, Potts aims to look at Etruscan and Early Roman architecture in Central Italy to highlight the occurrence of interconnections with the wider Mediterranean in the period ca. 800–400 BCE. A group of international leading scholars contribute essays that address this theme from different perspectives: through the analysis of architectural terracottas, the foundations and roofs of buildings, and the layouts of sacred and funerary monuments. An attempt to understand Etruscan and Early Roman buildings within a broader Mediterranean framework could already be glimpsed in the conclusions in Potts’ earlier book (Religious Architecture in Latium and Etruria, c. 900–500 BC, Oxford University Press 2015), and the new volume represents a good opportunity to take the argument farther. The essays collected here were originally presented at a workshop held at Somerville College, University of Oxford, in 2018.The volume opens with a useful introduction by Potts (1–30), who sets out the book’s aims and objectives, stressing the need to engage with ideas of connectivity and to start looking at the extant evidence from this period in a more comprehensive manner. Indeed, past scholarship has tended to compartmentalize the study of Etruscan and Early Roman buildings into neatly divided topics—such as architectural ornament, typologies of moldings, plans of edifices, and urban development—without making these complementary features talk to each other. The same is also true for studies of Roman imperial architecture, for example in the way the construction process of buildings and their architectural and sculptural ornamentation are still often regarded as separate subjects. It is therefore salutary that a new approach is advocated here that pays closer attention to all these elements of the same phenomenon and tries to connect them together.The essay by Jean Macintosh Turfa (31–61) engages with the technological aspects of the tie-beam truss in Etruscan buildings, which set the ground for its use in later periods—the civic and Christian basilicas of Rome are mentioned in the conclusions as a case in point. Despite the limited survival of perishable materials in the archaeological record, the author reviews important case studies such as the Southeast Building and the Courtyard Building at Poggio Civitate (Murlo), among others, where this technology was probably employed. Iconographic evidence from funerary art is also considered to supplement the archaeological data set, although it would have been beneficial to include illustrations in the text for the reader’s reference.The next two chapters focus on architectural terracottas. Building on her extensive knowledge of the topic, Nancy Winter (62–94) looks at the production of decorated roofs in Etruria within a broader context that encompasses South Italy, Sicily, and other areas of the Mediterranean. The evidence is broken down into three chronological phases: 670/660–650, 650–600, and 600–570 BCE. The conclusion drawn from this review is that Etruria participated in this Mediterranean koine not just as a recipient of technological and iconographic elements but also as an active contributor. As part of an ongoing research project, John Hopkins (95–124) points out the importance of the study of acroteria and antefixes dating from the early fifth to fourth century BCE to reconstruct a more comprehensive picture of Rome’s architectural and urban development. For instance, while archaeological evidence for the construction of temples in the city is very scarce for the period between 450 and 350 BCE, the analysis of terracottas can fill this gap and seems to point to the identification of no fewer than 30 sacred edifices that were erected at that stage. It is perhaps surprising that there is no reference here to P. Pensabene, Scavi del Palatino 2: Culti, architettura e decorazioni (L’Erma di Bretschneider 2017), but surely this will be engaged with in the final publication of the project, which we all look forward to reading soon.Patricia Lulof and Loes Opgenhafen (125–47) offer an example of the application of interdisciplinary methodologies—archaeological research, architectural survey, and the use of 3D computer modeling—to the study of architecture in Central Italy. The sacellum at Satricum yielded a wealth of data that could be used to reconstruct the different layouts of its plan and elevation during the two earliest phases, dating respectively to ca. 590–570 and 550–530 BCE. The 3D models presented here are based on the authors’ careful assessment of the evidence, which is also used to highlight similarities and differences between this building and the first and second phases of the temple of Sant’Omobono in Rome. While 3D reconstructions are becoming increasingly popular to accompany texts aimed at a general audience, this essay reminds us of a fundamental, though often overlooked, point: the creation of such reconstructions—if it attempts to offer a realistic interpretation—involves a significant amount of collaborative work and a profound knowledge of the respective buildings, archaeological features, and sociohistorical contexts that only specialists can provide.The last two essays explore architectural choices and connectivity by looking at religious and funerary monuments. Giovanna Bagnasco Gianni (148–73) outlines current research being carried out at Tarquinia, with particular emphasis on the local religious landscape. The orientation of the sanctuary of Ara della Regina toward the rising sun is examined, stressing how it might have served as a connection between earth and sky. This is interpreted as a peculiarity of the local community that shows a degree of influence from the Greek world. Finally, the essay by Stephan Steingräber (174–99) offers an overview of Etruscan tomb architecture from ca. 800 to 400 BCE. The author points out the connections between funerary monuments, the respective settlements, and the local forms of domestic and religious architecture. Rock-cut tombs are then used as a case study to show how Etruscan tombs developed from the end of the sixth to the early second century BCE and how these relate to similar structures across the Mediterranean, with the rock-cut tombs in the cemeteries of Cyrene (eastern Libya) being some of the most striking examples.The volume is carefully edited and is overall well illustrated, with a good selection of black-and-white and color images. The only shortcoming is not attributable to the editor or authors at all, but to the publisher’s choice of using rather cheap-quality paper (and apparently inkjet printing), which affects in particular the color illustrations reproduced in the text. Unfortunately, this seems to have become a common practice recently, not only for paperback editions but also for more expensive hardbacks. While digital editions are certainly useful, especially for journals, one should not forget that traditional printed books cannot be replaced altogether. Despite this criticism, the value of the volume from a scholarly standpoint is unquestionable, as it provides many useful ideas and prospects for future research on the architecture of Central Italy throughout this historical period. Potts’ advocacy of a stronger emphasis on issues of interconnectivity in this field of study is certainly appropriate, and it is good to see that the various authors applied this approach successfully to their contributions. The result is a consistent structure and harmony among the essays, which is not always the case for edited volumes.Notes[email protected] Previous articleNext article DetailsFiguresReferencesCited by American Journal of Archaeology Volume 127, Number 2April 2023 The journal of the Archaeological Institute of America Views: 84Total views on this site Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/724675 Views: 84Total views on this site HistoryPublished online March 07, 2023 Copyright © 2023 by the Archaeological Institute of AmericaPDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.