The Etruscans were predecessors to the Romans. They were an unrelated people whose sophisticated culture ruled a sizable portion of what is now Italy, centuries before the Romans arrived on the scene.

There’s been a long-running controversy about the origins of the Etruscans. (Also about what eventually happened to them, but that’s a different story.) They’re definitely an ancient culture surrounded by mystery!

Various theories have held that the Etruscans migrated from the east, migrated from the north, or descended from neolithic people who lived in the same area. Theories have their supporters, but there has never been enough hard proof one way or another.

Now a geneticist from the University of Turin, Italy, believes he’s found the evidence, and cracked the case. Professor Alberto Piazza, says that genetic evidence shows that the Etruscans, whose brilliant civilization flourished 3000 years ago in (what is now) Tuscany, were settlers from (what is now) southern Turkey.

Ancient Etruscans were immigrants from Anatolia, or what is now Turkey

Our Tuscany tours for women visit several sites that were founded by the Etruscans, and I’m always on the lookout for relevant items. I’ll post whatever I find of interest in our Italy category.