---
title: Phersu Game, Tomb of the Augurs, Tarquinia
author: Smarthistory
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/13081/phersu-game-tomb-of-the-augurs-tarquinia/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 1970-01-01
---

# Phersu Game, Tomb of the Augurs, Tarquinia

_Authored by Smarthistory_

## Image File

[![Phersu Game, Tomb of the Augurs, Tarquinia](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/13081.jpg)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/13081.jpg)

## Image Caption

A [wall](https://www.worldhistory.org/wall/) painting from the [Etruscan](https://www.worldhistory.org/Etruscan_Civilization/) [Tomb](https://www.worldhistory.org/tomb/) of the Augurs at [Tarquinia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Tarquinia/). The scene depicts the figure Phersu, a masked man from multiple Etruscan myths. He leads a "game" in which a man is sent against a dog with a club and a fabric wrapped around his face. Phersu leads him by a string as he bleeds from multiple wounds, as a form of religious bloodletting. 540-530 BCE.

## Cite This Work

### APA
Smarthistory. (2020, November 09). Phersu Game, Tomb of the Augurs, Tarquinia. *World History Encyclopedia*. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/13081/phersu-game-tomb-of-the-augurs-tarquinia/>
### Chicago
Smarthistory. "Phersu Game, Tomb of the Augurs, Tarquinia." *World History Encyclopedia*, November 09, 2020. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/13081/phersu-game-tomb-of-the-augurs-tarquinia/>.
### MLA
Smarthistory. "Phersu Game, Tomb of the Augurs, Tarquinia." *World History Encyclopedia*, 09 Nov 2020, <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/13081/phersu-game-tomb-of-the-augurs-tarquinia/>.

## License & Copyright

[![copyright source](/images/partners/logo-smarthistory-sm.gif)](https://smarthistory.org/the-etruscans-an-introduction/)This content is provided by [Smarthistory](https://smarthistory.org/) under a content sharing agreement. [Original image](https://smarthistory.org/the-etruscans-an-introduction/) by [**Smarthistory**](https://smarthistory.org/the-etruscans-an-introduction/). Submitted by [Matthew Vivonia](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/mlvivonia/ "User Page: Matthew Vivonia"), published on 09 November 2020. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.