The touring Treasures From Tuscany: the Etruscan Legacy exhibition, which has already been seen in California, Shanghai and Moscow, is having its sole UK showing at the Royal Museum in Edinburgh until October 31.
A sumptuous Italian villa setting has been created for the 500 objects, which have been divided into six sections illustrating 800 years of Etruscan civilisation from around 900BC.
There are elaborate alabaster cremation urns, life-size models of body parts, used when asking the gods for help with medical problems, and jewellery, including a necklace featuring sea nymphs and winged horses, all of which is so exquisite it “knocks the gold of the pharaohs into a cocked hat”, says curator Elizabeth Goring.
www.nms.ac.uktuscantreasures