>Photo: An Etruscan Vase

The Etruscans were an ancient civilization which lived in Italy and Corsica before the birth of the Roman empire. Their culture flourished around 800 BC. The origin of the Etruscan is unknown. Archaeologists believe they came from the eastern Mediterranean, possibly Asia Minor.

The Etruscans were a sophisticated people. They used an alphabet based on the Greek alphabet and left behind many sculptures and artifacts with a distinct painting tradition. The photo above shows a beautifully painted Etruscan vase.

Have you see an Etruscan vase moon rising?

An Etruscan vase moon rising is a celestial phenomenon that occurs at the time of a full moon. An Etruscan vase moon rising occurs when the full moon appears distorted as it rises. In a copyrighted picture, John Stetson has captured the rising moon in the form of an Etruscan vase.

The narrative accompanying the photo describes the celestial effect: “Visible in particular was a curiously inverted image section pinched off near the horizon, an effect dubbed the Etruscan vase by the pioneering science fiction writer Jules Verne for its familiar shape. This odd moon image piece was created by moonlight refracting through an atmospheric inversion layer on Earth where cold air was trapped near the surface.”

Click here and see an Etruscan vase moon rising.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Etruscans, Etruscan Vase

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