Seianti Hanunia Tlesnasa: The Story of an Etruscan Noblewoman

The sarcophagus containing the remains of Seianti Hanunia Tlesnasa was found at Poggio Cantarello near Chiusi in 1886 and is now housed in the British Museum. The sarcophagus shows a striking image of a reclining Etruscan lady holding a mirror and is a wonderful, important and well preserved piece of Etruscan art. Besides this, the sarcophagus contained the well preserved remains of the women herself. This volume publishes the results of the study of the sarcophagus and the analysis of the human remains set within an archaeological and historical context. The ‘artefact’ as a whole provides valuable insights into 3rd/2nd century BC Etruria, women in Etruscan society, portraiture and funerary art, health and diet. The involvement of Dr John Prag and his expertise in facial reconstruction allows us to view the reconstructed face of this Etruscan noblewoman alongside her portrait.