Etruscan women, it is often argued, fulfilled a remarkably prominent role in society compared to their Greek and Roman counterparts. They are thought to have had greater liberties and a higher social standing.
Such a hypothesis is based, first of all, on wall-paintings which depict Etruscan women partaking in banquets. Participating in such feasts was, after all, a great privilege.
Not all scenes of banquets include women, yet in some they are clearly visible. We can recognize them by their skin colour, which is white in contrast to the brown skin of men.
Further evidence comes from inscriptions on sarcophagi, which mention not only the father's name of the deceased but also the mother's. This is sometimes taken as proof that descent could also be traced through the female line.
