In a frieze in the fifth-century B.C. Tomb of the Leopards in Tarquinia, Italy, an Etruscan couple admires an egg, symbol of immortality.
The Etruscans have long been the magical mystery people of Italian antiquity. They rose from the mist of prehistory around 900 B.C. and for some 500 years dominated most of the country, from Rome to the Po Valley. Yet, unlike the Romans, they left behind a sparse written record—no heroic poems, no histories, no literature, only short official or religious inscriptions. Etruscan art survived largely because it was buried in tombs.
—Text adapted from "The Eternal Etruscans," National Geographic magazine, June 1988
Often labeled as poor, rural, and beholden to the Mafia, Sicily insists that change has arrived. Explore this small Italian island—a unique world unto itself.
An enclave of remarkable buildings and art surrounded by the city of Rome, Vatican City is the smallest sovereign nation in the world—and one of the most powerful.
Trapped in the myth of her beauty, Venice beguiles and remains elusive. See why this city has held such sway over artists and romantics for centuries in this gallery.
