Lecture: DNA and the Origins of the Etruscans

Dr. Philip Perkins, Head of the Department of Classical Studies, Open University, London Etruscan civilization appeared at the end of the 8th century B.C.E. as a spectacular flowering of culture in central Italy. The rapidity of this blossoming and the contrast with its less developed neighbors has led many people to believe over the centuries that the Etruscans were immigrants to Italy. This theory is supported by some ancient historical sources that suggest they came from modern-day Turkey. During the 20th century, this view of the Etruscans has been progressively rejected, and the current scholarly opinion is that the Etruscans were a people indigenous to Italy. However, advances in the study of the human genome have opened up new possibilities for studying the ancestry of human populations. The most recent studies are now suggesting that the Etruscans were indeed immigrants to Italy. This lecture will reassess the question of Etruscan origins in the light of these DNA analyses. Free; advanced registration is not required. Please call 214.4677 for more information. Bob and Jean Smith Auditorium