The Etruscans were the creators of one of the most highly developed cultures of the pre--Roman Mediterranean.

Written with scholarly precision but without condescension The Etruscans deserves to be on the shelves of all those who want an up--to--date overview of the subject. History Today, Volume 48, Sept 98. As well as offering new approaches and interpretations the book presents the reader with concise summaries of, often highly contentious, recent debates. Vedia Izzet, Christa s College, Cambridge. In an impressively comprehensive book, they weave together material from a wealth of sources, classical literature, land surveys and excavation -- their text providing a lesson in itself in how to recreate ancient history. History Today.

Graeme Barker is Professor of Archaeology and Head of the School of Archaeological Studies at the University of Leicester. He was previously Lecturer and then Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield and Director of the British School at Rome. Tom Rasmussen is Senior Lecturer in the department of Art History and Archaeology at the University of Manchester. He has been a fellow of the British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara.

Preface and Acknowledgements. Introduction. 1. The Landscape. 2. Origins. 3. Sources and Society. 4. Cultural Transformations. 5. Settlement and Territory. 6. Subsistence and Economy. 7. Life, Cult, and Afterlife. 8. Romanization. Appendix: Etruscan Places -- A Rough Guide. Bibliography. Index.