The Chris Moeller Archives

An ancient historian smiling in his grave --Nick Dee

Pay close attention, fans of prehistory (and I know all of you are!).

The NY Times on Tuesday summed up the results of a study published by The American Journal of Human Genetics which may end a 2,500 year old debate about the origins of the Etruscan people of Italy. Ever since our friend Herodotus, writing in the 5th century BC, claimed that the Etruscans had Middle-eastern origins (modern-day West Turkey, to be exact), more conservative historians and nearly all archaeologists have rejected the notion, citing the scarcity of physical evidence for mass movements of peoples. But scientists have now entered the debate, with far more than strong opinions. They've got DNA testing, and when they sampled the DNA of rural villagers in ancient, isolated communities in rural Tuscany (modern-day Etruria), they discovered that their DNA was unlike that of all other Italians, but nearly identical to modern-day Syrians and other mideastern peoples.

So what?

Well, we all know that it was Rome that, through military might, political genius, and dumb luck, brought civilization to all those parts of Europe which didn't have it already (probably the ancestors of anyone reading this). Since Italians are distant cousins of the Celts and are Indo-European, it always appeared that European civilization (our civilization) was a European creation. We've always known (even the Romans knew it) that Roman culture borrowed heavily from Etruscan culture, but never thought much of it. After all, how could quirky old Herodotus know something that an infinitely logical archaeologist doesn't? Well, he did. All evidence now point to Roman civilization, and thus Western Civilization, being a largely near-Eastern product.

This revalation will probably startle very few Americans. But Italians, and especially Romans, people who historically have derived much pride from their Etruscan descent, will no doubt watch the story unfold further, as Ancient scholars (my professor among them) begin to rethink some of the most basic assumptions about the movement and ancient peoples.

Maybe when I go to Rome in June of 2008, I will have learned enough Italian to ask what they think of all this. If they care at all.

(btw: I have also completed my profile)

posted by Nick Dee @ 10:27 PM