DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.785#0459
354 TARQUINII.—The Cemetery. [chap. xvm.
eyes ; for, as the atmosphere entered the sepulchre, the
armour, thoroughly oxydised, crumbled away into most
minute particles ; so that in a short time scarcely a vestige
of what I had seen was left on the couch.6. . . Such was my
astonishment, that it were impossible to express the effect
upon my mind produced by this sight; but I can safely
assert that it was the happiest moment of my life."7
The contents of this tomb, as far as they can be judged
of from Avvolta's description, indicate a high antiquity ;
and the golden crown and rich bronzes show it to have
belonged to some person of consequence. The absence of
beautiful painted vases leads us to infer that he was buried
prior to the perfecting of the fictile art, or in the early
days of the Roman Republic.
This tomb had evidently never been opened since the
days of the Etruscans, and such sepulchres being exceed-
ingly rare, are of immense importance to the archaeologist.
We visit Museums, and see the produce of Etruscan
cemeteries in objects rich and rare, but as to their arrange-
ment as sepulchral furniture we gather not an idea. Or
even should we be present at the opening of a tomb, if it
has been rifled in past ages, as is the case with the vast
majority, we can have no confidence in the genuineness of
the arrangement; we cannot regard it with the same
interest as if we were convinced every object occupied its
original position. Or, should we be so fortunate as to hit
upon a virgin-tomb, it is not unlikely that it is full of
earth—that the roof has fallen in, deranged the original
collocation, and destroyed the furniture ; and happy shall
we be if we can save anything uninjured from the wreck.
The necropolis of Tarquinii was of vast extent. Avvolta
8 The same singular effect of the atmo- menti SepolcraK di Ceri, p. 21.
sphere is narrated of the Grotta Torlonia 1 For further particulars of this tomb,
at Cervetri.—Visconti, Antichi Momi- see the Appendix, Note III.
eyes ; for, as the atmosphere entered the sepulchre, the
armour, thoroughly oxydised, crumbled away into most
minute particles ; so that in a short time scarcely a vestige
of what I had seen was left on the couch.6. . . Such was my
astonishment, that it were impossible to express the effect
upon my mind produced by this sight; but I can safely
assert that it was the happiest moment of my life."7
The contents of this tomb, as far as they can be judged
of from Avvolta's description, indicate a high antiquity ;
and the golden crown and rich bronzes show it to have
belonged to some person of consequence. The absence of
beautiful painted vases leads us to infer that he was buried
prior to the perfecting of the fictile art, or in the early
days of the Roman Republic.
This tomb had evidently never been opened since the
days of the Etruscans, and such sepulchres being exceed-
ingly rare, are of immense importance to the archaeologist.
We visit Museums, and see the produce of Etruscan
cemeteries in objects rich and rare, but as to their arrange-
ment as sepulchral furniture we gather not an idea. Or
even should we be present at the opening of a tomb, if it
has been rifled in past ages, as is the case with the vast
majority, we can have no confidence in the genuineness of
the arrangement; we cannot regard it with the same
interest as if we were convinced every object occupied its
original position. Or, should we be so fortunate as to hit
upon a virgin-tomb, it is not unlikely that it is full of
earth—that the roof has fallen in, deranged the original
collocation, and destroyed the furniture ; and happy shall
we be if we can save anything uninjured from the wreck.
The necropolis of Tarquinii was of vast extent. Avvolta
8 The same singular effect of the atmo- menti SepolcraK di Ceri, p. 21.
sphere is narrated of the Grotta Torlonia 1 For further particulars of this tomb,
at Cervetri.—Visconti, Antichi Momi- see the Appendix, Note III.