Santa Severa hosts exhibition of ancient Etruscan painted slabs

The exhibition ‘I colori che ritornano. Un patrimonio ritrovato’ (The colors that return. A rediscovered heritage) opens at the Castello di Santa Severa, showcasing rare Etruscan painted terracotta slabs. The collection features artifacts from the 6th and 5th centuries BCE, representing a significant pictorial movement centered in ancient Caere.

The displayed items include works recovered through investigations by the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage and the Guardia di Finanza. Additionally, the exhibition includes 110 fragments returned to Italy from the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen following a 2016 cultural cooperation agreement.

These terracotta slabs were used to decorate building walls in continuous friezes. The production technique is linked to the arrival of artisans from eastern Greece in Etruscan cities during the early 6th century BCE, contributing to the highly Hellenized style of ancient Caere.