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Etruscan Antefix

Contributed by Norman Sanders

An antefix is a terracotta object placed along a house gutter to hold a row of tiles above it. This one is decorated with the head of a young man. It is in mint condition. It had been buried for nearly three thousand years and still bears traces of the soil. It tells me that the Etruscans spent a lot of effort decorating their houses, and had a deep appreciation of civic beauty. It was evidently made, as one of many, on a very early production line. This would have given a pleasing effect of uniformity along the house gutter. Since this was a cheap method of production, it tells us that economics was an important consideration even in those days.

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  • 1 comment
  • 1. At 18:30 on 29 May 2010, markalilly wrote:

    The word 'economics' refers to an academic discipline. In the last sentence, which ends 'it tells us that economics was an important consideration even in those days' the word 'economics' should read 'cost'.

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Location

Rome, Italy

Culture
Period
Theme
Size
H:
22cm
W:
15cm
Colour
Material

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