It is highly improbable that the artist who painted the lions in the tomb ever saw a lion in the flesh – while lions were known to inhabit Greece in the Bronze and Iron Ages, there is no evidence that lions ever interacted with the Etruscan people. Thus, it is highly likely that the artist copied the depiction of the lion from Greek art. This idea is also supported by the way in which the lions are depicted – they are drawn with sharp lines, oversized heads that are disproportionate to the rest of their bodies and have a geometric, almost triangular shape. This is a reflection of the time in which they were created. The period around 700BCE was known as an orientalizing period in art – trade amongst cultures had exposed artists to new movements and techniques. Veii was in an ideal geographical location to be exposed to these movements - it was located close to the Lower Tiber Valley meaning it could be exposed to both Greek pottery as well as Eastern models, as well as put them in close contact with a variety of other cultural groups. Late geometric attic and Boeotian models were the most likely inspiration for the lions – they arrived around Veii from the trade routes that linked Greece, the Gulf of Naples and Southern Etruria.
