Reference

Etruscan Jewelry Glossary

Plain-language definitions for the techniques, forms, motifs, and research terms used across the site.

Granulation

Decoration made from tiny metal grains arranged and joined to a surface.

Filigree

Ornament made from fine wire, often twisted, beaded, coiled, or used as a border.

Repoussé

Relief formed by working metal sheet from the reverse side.

Fibula

A dress fastener comparable in basic function to a safety pin, often elaborately decorated.

Scarab

A beetle-shaped gem or seal form adopted and adapted across the Mediterranean.

Sanguisuga fibula

A fibula type named for its swollen, leech-like bow.

Palmette

A stylized fan-shaped plant motif.

Provenance

The documented history of an object’s ownership, discovery, and movement.

Archaeological Revival

Nineteenth-century jewelry inspired by excavated ancient objects and techniques.