Why were many vases found in Etruscan cemeteries later identified as Greek?

In the context of classical scholarship, the identification of many vases found in Etruscan cemeteries as Greek is primarily due to the massive volume of Greek artifacts that were imported into Etruria during antiquity. The Etruscans highly prized these items, and they were frequently placed in tombs as grave goods, leading to their discovery in Etruscan necropolises by modern archaeologists.12

While the Etruscans produced their own distinctive pottery, such as the black-fabric bucchero, they also actively traded with and admired Greek craftsmanship. Furthermore, some Greek artisans settled in Etruria, and local workshops produced high-quality imitations of Greek styles, particularly black-figure vases, which can sometimes be difficult to distinguish from authentic Greek imports.13

The historical confusion was also compounded by the 18th-century Grand Tour, during which European aristocrats and collectors—influenced by scholars who championed Greek art as the pinnacle of taste—sought out and acquired these vases, often categorizing them broadly within the context of Greek antiquity.45