Some exciting findings: Villa Giulia (Rome)

Nymphaeum Loggia by Ammanati 

Villa Giulia in Rome is one of these nice off the beaten track places where you have a chance to see  museum instead of touristic crowds with guides and photo cameras. Located close to a high end residential area, it is a gorgeous place: a combination of a remarkable architecture with the Renaissance frescoes and mosaics and a stunning archeological collection of the Etruscan Art. An excellent place to enjoy the history and to get a lunch on a grass after.

The Tunnel Vault of the Semicircular Portico (Loggia) 
at the rear of the Casino by the architect Vignola

The Castellani's collection of the Etruscan jewelry was, unfortunately, closed. Nonetheless, it was exciting to find a few wonderful pieces of amber jewelry from the Etruscan tombs.

These two pieces are crafted out of gold and amber (most likely Sicilian amber which has a distinctive red hue). At that time amber and gold had the same value. These bulky jewelry was used as pins and were fixed with the bronze pins. The donuts at the same photo are also carved out of amber and (maybe) were worn on the pins.

This restored necklace is a similar example of the popular amber-gold combination in Etruscan jewelry.

Amber from Sicily

This gorgeous necklace is several thousands years old. There used to be deposits of amber close to Mount Etna, in Sicily. That amber was mined out by the 18th century. This is an example of exquisite craftsmanship from Etruria. Sicilian amber has a distinguished red hue and, unlike Baltic amber, is opaque. Nowadays Sicilian amber's almost impossible to purchase; it can be mainly found in museum collections.

Necklace with a pendant Scarab, Italic or Etruscan, 550-400 B.C.
Amber, gold and carnelian scarab. Length: 39.5 cm (15 inch)
Los Angeles, The J. Paul Getty Museum.