A revised, updated and expanded edition of the first concise introduction to the study of the Etruscan language in English. Originally published in 1983 and translated into a number of other languages, the work is a standard historical reference and a textbook for students of languages, linguistics, ancient civilization and Etruscan studies. This provides a collection of Etruscan inscriptions and texts currently in print. The Etruscans were highly literate: approximately 13,000 Etruscan inscriptions have been researched and they, far from having to be deciphered, can be easily read. One reason for this accessibility is because the Etruscans used the Greek alphabet, and they in turn passed it onto the Romans. The language is, however, idiosyncratic, being non-Indoeuropean, and different in structure from any other known language, ancient or modern. A substantial archeological introduction sets language and inscriptions in their historical, geographical and cultural context. The overview of Etruscan grammar, the glossary and chapters on mythological figures all incorporate innovative discoveries.
