Keep reading for more information on the Etruscan, their gods and how to pronounce Etruscan words...
Why the Etruscans?
The Etruscans were famous throughout the Ancient World as magicians and diviners. In the Roman Republic, Etruscan diviners were called upon as experts to interpret omens. They read entrails, the stars, the flight of birds and the flash of lightning and crash of thunder. Even after the conquest of the Etruscan by the Romans, Roman diviners were sent to Etruscan cities to learn from the Etruscans whom they recognised as experts in all things divination.
The Etruscan alphabet developed out of the Western variety of the Ancient Greek alphabet. It was usually written from right to left. The Etruscan alphabet was adopted and further adapted by both the Romans and the early Germanic peoples. Thus the Etruscan letters were the forerunners of the well-known Nordic runes used by the Vikings. Alphabets have long been perceived as mystical and meaningful symbols on their own. They have been popularly used as a form of divination since man first learnt to write. A favourite medium of Etruscan artists was terracotta.
The Etruscan Gods
AISAR / THE GODS
TINIA Supreme God of the Etruscans. Husband to Uni.
UNI Supreme Goddess of the Etruscans. Wife to Tinia.
MENRVA Supreme Goddess of the Etruscans. She sprang fully formed from the head of Tinia.
Together, Tinia, Uni and Menrva ruled as a powerful triumvirate.
HERCLE Hercules, worshipped as a hero-god, son of Tinia and Uni. Consort to Turan, Goddess of Love.
NETHUNS God of both all fresh water, springs, the oceans and seas.
VANTH Goddess/Demoness of Death.
CHARU God/Demon of Destruction and Death.
THESAN Goddess of the Dawn.
PHERSIPNAI The equivalent of Persephone/Proserpina.
FUFLUNS God of Wild Nature.
CEL ATI The Mother Earth Goddess. Also appears as Cel Apa (Father Earth God).
TIUR Deity of the Moon.
USIL Deity of the Sun.
TURAN Goddess of Love.
TURMŚ God of Trade and Merchandise.
Pronunciation Guide
CH = k + h, a breathy sound as in cat (English), Charu = kharu
PH = p + h, a breathy sound as in pat (English), Phersipnai = phersipnai
TH = t + h, a breathy sound as in top (English), Thesan = thesan
Z = ts, as in pizza (Italian), Zich = tsikh
Ś = sh as in show (English), Śpur = shpur
Q = k (not breathy), Qutum = kutum
V = as in uva (Spanish), bring the lips together (not like an English v), Vanth = wanth
F = f with the lips together, a voiceless Etruscan v.
