Etruscan culture had a tremendous impact on Rome, especially during the 6th century BC when, according to the literary tradition, three Etruscan kings ruled over Rome. The Etruscans, for example, introduced the alphabet, as well as new building techniques.
One of the religious practices the Romans copied from the Etruscans is that of divination. The Etruscans interpreted the will of the gods from the behaviour of birds, thunder or the appearance of the intestines of a sacrificial animal.
This model liver, used in such practices, is subdivided into twenty-eight houses dedicated to different gods. Each small carving or spot represents an important omen from one of these gods.
