Tomb Of The Leopards Analysis

While it was a common practice for ancient civilizations to place females in a subordinate position in society, Etruscans' mentality and attitude on contrary were reversed. They treated females in a very dignified manner as women had the freedom of speech, financial ability and most importantly power. Etruscans had one of the highest gender equalities in contrast to other ancient civilizations of that existing period for instance the Romans because in Roman societies, symposiums were considered strictly as an all male sector only where it involves male thoughts sharing, festive drinking etc. but Etruscans were on the exact opposite end. Etruscan females were allowed to participate in the symposiums, attend banquets, share a toast with

As shown in Figure 1, Tomb of the Leopards received its' title because of the artwork containing images of two leopards depicted in paint facing one another above the paintings of a banquet. In interpretation, the leopards symbolized hunting activities and perhaps suggest as the properties of the dead. The attendees of the banquet painted below the Leopards are composed of two pair of male and female in the left and right portions of the fresco and a pair of male in the middle, all of whom are dressed in brightly colours. In Etruscan art, females are depicted in fair skin tone whereas males are portrayed in a much darker skin tone, inspired by the Greek, being the convention among greek art depicting males and females during that period. The Tomb of the Leopards indicates a festivity or banquet where women were participated in as oppose to Greek and Roman societies where females were regarded as inferior therefore had no rights to attend. Etruscan women were always allowed to join such kind of festivity which demonstrated their high equality to male. The Tomb of the Leopards reflected the lives of Etruscans and presented viewers with a strong concept that a Etruscan woman could enjoy high privileges during that

As one can see, a husband and a wife are seated on the same lounger while being attended by a servant on their side. This artwork illustrated the great harmony of male and female love relationships in Etruscan society. In Figure 2, one can see how the female is touching the male's shoulder which was a significant gesture during that period as it was an act of female power and strongly displays Etruscan gender equality though one can suggest that such gesture can also be an act of affection from the woman to her man. Through observation, one can see in the image that the woman is holding the man's hand near her chest while looking at him affectionately which signifies that the man and woman were actually husband and wife and them reclining together was seen as a social norm during that era. According to the observation of Aristotle, the Etruscan husband and wives were also seen in a reclining position when they dined